Time Is Everything Mk1
by Hydriatus
Summary: Yet another lost soul comes to Mahora. How will he fit into this madness? OC Fic
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Arrival**

The morning air was cool and heavy with the scent of flowers. He yawned widely, looking up blearily. The youth could just read the sign as he got off the tram. Mahora Academy. Finally. Stifling another yawn, he took out his pocket watch before remembering. _Idiot, that thing hasn't worked in years_ he chided himself, before pocketing it again with a shrug. He cast a glance at the clock above him as he ran his hand through his blonde hair. Twenty minutes past eight. _Damn. Late again. _

He was British, and had arrived in Japan only recently, or at least thought he had. He honestly couldn't remember. Sixteen years old, of athletic build and average height. He wore a navy t-shirt over which he wore a black jacket. His trousers were khaki coloured and worn. He was carrying an unremarkable rucksack, devoid of emblems, in which his meagre possessions were stored. With a tired sigh, he glanced at the map he had grabbed from an information booth. The World Tree was...

_On Academy grounds?! I thought it was next to the academy, not in it! _

He looked at the map in more detail, and swallowed. _Then again… everything is on academy grounds! Call this an academy? More like a city! _He looked up, narrowing his hazel eyes and sighed again. This was going to be trickier than he originally thought…

* * *

"Come on, we're late!" shouted Asuna as she charged towards the tram station.

"I'm coming!" cried Negi, chasing after her. Konoka, skating just in front of him, giggled as he redoubled his efforts to catch up. With seconds to spare, they made it to the tram. As the doors closed behind them, Negi sat down, panting slightly.

"That…was…surprisingly…hard." He gasped out.

Konoka smiled. "What's wrong? Out of shape?"

"Nice example you're setting," added Asuna. "What happened? You were in peak condition during training…"

"I'm…just…slightly tired," answered Negi.

"Sure you are," teased Konoka. Asuna just laughed whilst Negi finally caught his breath.

"But seriously, good thing we caught this train. I can hardly afford to be late to my own class," said Negi with a smile at his students' "Thanks for coming with me by the way."

"No problem squirt. But next time, try to organise a delivery to our dorm, will you? Leaving campus so early in the morning is really troublesome."

"Sorry Asuna," replied Negi with a polite bow as Konoka giggled again.

* * *

Sitting on a bench at the station, he tried to figure out his next course of action. It was paramount to get to the World Tree, but how?

_Enrol at the Academy? Scratch that, there was no way they'd just accept me_.

_Break in? Plausible, yet probably a major headache to organise_. Plus, he didn't have any money with which to buy the tools required.

_Sneak in? Yeah, as if I could move silently. _

_Talk my way in? Might work, but that requires research, and so time. _

He hung his head is shame.

_So close, and yet so far… Why does this always happen to me? I'm actually contemplating breaking and entering! I'm not a criminal!_

He shelved his thoughts and stood up. The next tram was approaching. He'd go on ahead and find somewhere else to plan. In the distance, he heard a bell ringing.

_Time for class probably_

He stood in front of the doors waiting for them to open. Big mistake.

* * *

"Was that the bell?" cried out Asuna suddenly.

"Uh oh," replied Negi, checking his watch. It's eight thirty! We're late!"

* * *

The doors opened, he took a step forwards…

And was flattened as thirty girls burst out and ran towards the academy, gossiping all the way. He particularly hated it when one of them skated over him.

_My luck never changes_ he thought as he was trampled. He rolled to the side to escape the stampede, and felt someone trip over him.

* * *

"OW!" cried out Negi as he fell, banging his knee hard against something. There was a cry of pain.

"What's wrong?" queried Asuna, stopping and looking behind to where Negi had fallen.

"I tripped…" he managed to say before realizing what he had tripped over. He quickly stood up and, looking mortified, asked, "Are you alright?"

The youth on the ground simply looked up and nodded weakly. His clothing was down trodden and dishevelled, and he had a nasty bruise over his right eye. His blonde hair was a mess and slightly grey from dust.

"What's taking you two?" asked Konoka, skating back towards them.

"Looks like someone stood in front of the doors again," she answered.

"Oh dear."

Looking down at the scene, Asuna tried to hide her impatience whilst Konoka hovered near the fallen boy, seeing if she could help.

"Sorry 'bout that, but we're kind of late…" apologized Negi. The stranger stood up and dusted himself off.

"It's ok, my fault for standing in front of the doors I guess."

"Where are you from?" queried Konoka cheerily. The stranger looked at her, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Me? I'm from England, the name's Luke Mason" he replied.

"Oh, are you here on a transfer?" asked the kid teacher. Luke looked down at him and shrugged.

"I think so, but I don't have the paperwork."

"Oh, that's ok, I'm sure the dean will understand once you explain everything to him," the boy replied, smiling. Luke stared at the child a minute longer, and then turned to the girls.

"May I ask, who are you then?"

"Asuna Kagurazaka"

"Konoka Konoe"

"Negi Springfield"

"Pleasure to meet you" said Luke with a smile.

"Um, Negi, we are REALLY late now," growled Asuna. With a cry, Negi spun around and looked at the clock. He spun back towards Luke.

"Sorry for this, but we really must be going!" he managed to say before sprinting off, followed closely by Asuna and Konoka.

"But what about meeting the dean?" cried out Luke behind them.

Negi grinned as he continued running. "I'll show you during morning break, meet me in front of the school."

Luke smiled and nodded. "See ya there then!"

He watched the three figures charge off towards the Academy.

_Looks like the first idea wasn't so dumb after all…maybe my lucks changing after all… _

Luke Mason grinned as he straightened his jacket and walked casually towards the entrance to the academy. Today was going to be a very good day for once.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Acceptance**

"So you lost your paperwork?" asked Dean Konoe, one eyebrow raised sceptically. Luke cringed whilst trying to look innocent.

"Yes."

"Really? How did that happen?"

"I honestly do not know," answered the youth. "I just knew I had to come to Mahora Academy."

"You expect me to believe that?"

_Nope_ thought Luke, cursing himself under his breath. "It's the truth though."

"How did you know you had to come to Mahora?"

"From, er, a note that was on me."

The dean simply looked at him. Luke fidgeted slightly. "All I remember," he continued, "is that I had all the stuff on me that I currently do, and that note, and I was in the middle of Japan."

"But you said you were from England."

"That's what my passport said."

"So what do you plan to do?" countered the dean.

Luke glanced sideways at the audience of this humiliating conversation. That teacher, Springfield was there, as was another teacher called Takahata. They were trying to hide their amusement at his discomfort. Cursing them all, he turned his attention back to the discussion.

"To, um, stay here until I figure out what's going on?" he answered at last.

"What about education?" queried the dean.

_Man, this isn't an interview, it's an interrogation!_

"What of it?" replied Luke nervously.

"I meant, what do you plan to do with regards to your education?"

_Uh oh_

"Well, I was planning to… continue it."

"How?"

"Erm, anyway possible?"

The dean finally smiled and allowed himself a chuckle. "Interesting answer, Luke, but how about studying with others your age?"

"Are you offering me a placement?" asked Luke, sure he had misheard.

"Well, I said it in a more poetic manner, but yes."

Luke just sat there dumbfounded.

_He believed me?! No way! Not even I believed it at first, I mean, come on! Waking up with no memory and a mysterious note is like…like…a story or something! _

The dean coughed politely. Luke immediately derailed his train of though and turned to the matter at hand.

"I accept, gladly," he managed to stammer out.

The dean smiled at him properly for the first time and nodded. "Good, then you will begin school tomorrow. I'm afraid until we are aware of your abilities we will have to put you in a slightly lower class until we can gauge your abilities, understood?"

"Yes Sir!"

"Also, I'm afraid the boys' dormitories are booked up at the moment so you will have to stay in the girls dorms for a while."

"Yes Si – wait, what?!"

The dean simply looked at him surprised. "Is there a problem?"

Luke simply stared at him. Eventually he decided that the elderly man was being serious. "No Sir, none at all."

_Oh boy, this is escalating in a way I never imagined possible._

"It's not so bad," chipped in Takahata, smiling, "there are two boys already living there after all, and they seem to have survived."

Luke turned and faced the mature teacher. "Oh? Who?"

"Well, one would be him," replied Takahata, pointing at Negi, "and the other is a boy in your class called Kotaro."

Luke stared at Negi, his jaw slack.

_W-w-w-h-haat? Him?! __Girls Dorm?! Isn't he meant to be a teacher?! Is that normal, or even legal, in this country?!_

"I guess I better go and introduce myself to my new…room mates," he finally said. Standing, he bowed to the teachers. "Thank you for your time and for your generosity." He turned and left the office.

Outside, he leaned against the door and exhaled slowly.

_OK, the heck was that?! Did they really know I was telling the truth? Or do they have other plans for me?! _

He took several deep breaths to calm down.

_Still, I'm in the academy, so that's a start. Now I just have to get to the World Tree._

Glancing about, he sprinted off towards the mammoth tree.

* * *

Back in the office, dean Konoe looked at Professor Takahata. "Do you disapprove of my decision?"

"Not at all dean," replied the younger man. "He clearly needs help."

The dean nodded and looked at Negi. "What is your opinion of him?"

Negi thought for a moment. "He seemed sincere, and he was obviously not lying when he said that all he remembered was having his belongings, a note and being in Japan. His aura showed me as much."

The dean nodded. "I assumed as much. I suppose he is of no threat, so we might as well help this lost soul. Still, be careful, there was a hint of strong magic on him."

"Is he a mage then?" asked Takahata.

"He could have been, but the loss of his memory may have something to do with it. For now, we should just observe him. As soon as he begins to form a threat, we act, understood?"

Takahata and Negi nodded gravely.

"Is that why you assigned him to the girls' dorms?" asked the child teacher.

"Yes, with you, your partners, and Kotaro there, I'm sure you'll be able to react to any change in his demeanour. That's all. Now off you go."

The teachers left, gently closing the door behind them. The dean stood up and went over to his window and gazed out. The last thing they needed now is some enemy on the loose, especially after the Mahorafest incident…

* * *

Luke rounded a corner at speed and without breaking stride, yanked out the note which had led him to this place and read it for the umpteenth time.

**Go to Mahora. Go to the World Tree. Be on Time. Remember. **

A frustratingly vague message. He groaned inwardly as he flowed through crowds like a shadow, gone before they could register his passing. Of all the possible wordings of the message, someone had to choose that one. Why? Is it in some sort of code? Or is it something else? The questions continued to plague him until he reached his destination. Luke stopped and looked at the magnificent tree. It truly was massive. It had a strange sort of beauty to it, like that of an ancient, epic civilisation. He looked about. No one was there. Perfect!

Only, now what?

* * *

He waited. He dug near the roots. He climbed the tree. He chewed on some of the leaves. All in all, his attempts took him about five hours and yielded no results.

_I thought it was a bit too easy._

He stood up from where he had been lying against the tree. Sighing inwardly, he set off towards the dorms.

_Dammit, why didn't that note give some specific instructions?! Something like "Take a seed from the tree and swallow it" or something crazy like that? _

He continued his private rant the whole way back to the dorms.

_Is it too much to ask? Some instructions? Or perhaps they are? Perhaps only the old me could have understood them? But then why do that knowing I would forget? Perhaps it was because…_

He buried his face in his hands.

_AARRRGGHHH!! This is driving me insane!!_

Luke reached the dorms sooner than expected, but it was still past five O'clock and dusk was closing. He swallowed slightly. He didn't want anyone suspecting him, or thinking he was mad. After all, how could he explain his long absence? He couldn't tell them the truth, it was simply too ridiculous.

_Ah. Erm, need a cover story…Fast!_

Desperate he glanced about for inspiration. His eyes fell upon a map of the campus nailed to an information board by the path. He smiled as inspiration struck him.

Perfect! A little exploration of the campus in order to learn how to get around! That should suffice. _Still, five hours to explore campus?_ Reality gave him a shake. _But of course, the campus is the size of a small city, so I suppose exploring it would take a while…_

Stemming his inner monologue, Luke entered the unimpressive building and began to look for his room. After five minutes of wandering, much cursing, and two wrong turns, he found it. His brown eyes studied the placard nailed to the door. The number matched the one he had been told by the dean earlier that day. The youth reached for the handle and opened the door. All he could do was stand and stare.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Welcome**

"Wha?"

He looked into the room. It was nicely furnished, with a bunk bed, a desk, a table, some chairs. On his left he saw a fully stocked kitchen. To his right, he could glimpse a shower through an open door.

"What?"

But what really shocked him was the fact that somehow, despite the constraints of the laws of physics, about thirty people had managed to fit into the room.

"What?!"

He could just make out the kid teacher sitting at the table, a cup of tea in his hand whilst engaging a conversation with the boy next to him. Luke guessed his age to be roughly the same as Professor Springfield's. He had smoothed back spiky black hair and was dressed in the Mahora uniform. Luke guessed this to be the other lad living in these dorms, Kotaro. All around the two, girls were chatting and gossiping. Somehow, it seemed as if the entire populace of the dorm had found a way to fit into this one room.

_L-l-l-large crowd_ thought Luke nervously. _I wonder what's up?_

Everyone was deeply engaged in their conversations, or gossip or whatever, so Luke took his chance and stealthily made his way towards the Professor, making sure to close the door behind him quietly. He looked about at the various persons as he passed, making sure not to get noticed. They were a diverse group. About twenty-eight girls had gathered here, each of varying ages. He saw a pair of twins chatting away excitedly on a sofa, looking about as old as their teacher. Leaning against the window, he noticed an older girl with tanned skin. Her long black hair fell down to her waist and her clear gaze was fixed on something outside. Next to her another girl, about the same age, nearing her twenties, guessed Luke, was simply looking at the entire gathering with a small smile. Her hair was somewhat brown, and only reached her neck, but she had a single ponytail which reached almost down to her ankles. Over in the kitchen he caught a glance of another young woman, this time with reddish hair which was of longer length than that of the previous woman. She seemed to be preparing a meal of some kind, and was being helped by a smaller girl also with red hair and freckles.

_Interesting _mused Luke. _A surprisingly varied bunch. I wonder who they are?_ With a smirk, he added _Well, why not ask their teacher? I'm sure he knows something about them. _Wasting no further time, the sixteen year old made it to Negi's side without causing any hassle or managing to get noticed. Somehow.

"So, Professor. What's all this about?"

Negi started at the voice and turned to face the older youth.

"Ah, so you made it, I was beginning to worry you got lost."

"Well, I was for a bit, but I eventually found my way." Changing the subject he quickly queried. "So why the gathering?"

"Well, when I came to inform your new room mates about you, some of the more…easygoing members of my class saw it as an excuse to throw a party." The kid teacher smiled apologetically at this. "I tried to stop them but…"

"Its ok sir," Luke quickly answered, fighting a valiant effort to stop a smile spreading across his face, "I'm sure you did your best."

Next to them Kotaro grinned. "Oh, he did. He ran after them throughout the dorms trying to stop everything being organised. He said it wouldn't be proper on the first day or something like that."

"Really?" Luke turned towards the boy. "I'm sorry, you must be Kotaro. I'm Luke. I'll be living here for a while, I think." He added as an afterthought.

Kotaro simply smiled his predatory smile. He leaned closer and whispered. "Negi has told me of the situation, so if you have any problems, I'll try to help you out."

The blonde youth nodded in thanks. Slightly louder, Kotaro added, "So after tomorrow you have your first day of class. Hope you're prepared."

"Should I be?"

"Just wait and see," replied the brash lad with a glint in his eye. Whilst all of this was going on, one of the girls had made her way over to the table and tapped Negi on the shoulder.

"Sensei, I'm sorry but it seems as if Asuna and Konoka will be delayed," said the blonde girl.

"Thank you, Class Rep," replied the teacher. The girl smiled at him.

"Ah, Professor, there is no need, I'm only fulfilling my duties," she remarked sweetly.

Kotaro sniggered. "Heh, well, I think you're just trying to leave an impression before retiring, old woman."

That seemed to hit a nerve.

"Wha-What did you call me?!" she managed to say, visibly quaking in anger. Luke was watching the whole scene in interest. Professor Springfield of course, was a lot less interested in the prospect of Kotaro coming to blows with the Class Representative.

"Class Rep, please don't start brawling with Kotaro, at least not today," he pleaded. Luke hid a laugh behind a quick cough. Perhaps a kid teacher wasn't such a bad idea at all. He seemed to know what he was doing, and judging from the blonde's reaction to his pleas, his young age was probably more of an asset here then a hindrance.

"I apologize Professor, you are correct of course," she said with a smile. "When can we expect the new arrival anyway?"

"He's already here," answered Negi, pointing at Luke. The class representative blinked and looked at the newcomer.

"A boy?"

"I was the last time I checked," Luke replied automatically. As soon as he had uttered the words he regretted them. _Nice way to start a conversation genius. Why not just insult her while you're at it?_

The girl simply looked a her teacher, who just nodded. The gesture seemed to satisfy her.

"I'm sorry, it's just that this is the girl's dorm and-"

"I understand. I'm not particularly thrilled at being here either. I'll be gone as soon as the boy's dorm is refurbished."

He seemed to have taken the right route, as the girl smiled genuinely at him. "Well in that case I hope your brief stay with us is enjoyable."

"I'm sure it will be," replied Luke, not entirely happy with where the conversation seemed to be heading. "Excuse me, but you are…?"

"I am Ayaka Yukihiro, Representative of Class 3A. On behalf of the class welcome," said the girl in an authoritative tone, full of confidence. Perhaps even slight arrogance?

The youth stood and bowed. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Yukihiro. I am Luke Mason. I hope my stay here won't cause any problems."

Ayaka smiled at the youth's politeness. "I'm sure there will be no trouble. My class is as well behaved as they come."

Kotaro laughed at that, whilst Negi looked dubious.

Ignoring him, Ayaka continued. "Anyway, I hope you would be able to help us out in something."

Luke blinked. "Sure, what is it?"

The blonde girl simply shook her head. "We'll discuss it tomorrow. For now, why not become acquainted with the residents?" Then with a commanding voice, she nearly barked out, "Class, our guest has arrived. Please welcome him in the proper manner."

All of a sudden the chattering died away. Luke found himself transfixed by twenty-eight pairs of eyes.

_Oh, great._

Clearing his throat, he addressed the group around of him. "Hello, I am Luke Mason. I'm here on a transfer. Due to several circumstances, I will be staying in these dorms for a while. I hope I will not cause much of a disturbance." He bowed after finishing, as a proper gentleman would.

The girls stared at him, no reaction visible on their faces.

_Uh-oh._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Celebration**

The girls stared at him, no reaction visible on their faces. Timed seemed to slow.

_Uh-oh_

Negi caught his expression and smiled weakly. Luke shot him a puzzled look. In response, the child held up his hand and slowly lowered each finger. With a sinking feeling, Luke realized he was counting down. As his last digit fell sound blossomed like an explosion as the girls began talking excitedly to the new student at once.

"Are you really from England?"

"How old are you?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"How long will you be staying?"

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Do you know Negi?"

And so on. Luke stammered out his answers, his mind whirling as he tried to keep up with the conversations.

_Well, looks like I've given a good impression._

The whole thing lasted an hour before he received any respite from the barrage of questions. He flopped down onto the sofa, mentally exhausted. The girls had given him a warm welcome and were properly getting into the party atmosphere. A trio of girls Luke had learned were known as the cheerleaders were currently singing karaoke in one corner of the room with a fair audience applauding their efforts. The blonde youth was forced to admit that they were good. Shame he wasn't anywhere near as skilled. Good thing he had managed to avoid being dragged up to the stage. In the kitchen, the girl with freckles was still helping out, now with the distribution of food, along with the twins. Negi and Kotaro had been dragged off towards an area of the room designated for dancing, and Luke tried hard not to betray his amusement at the sight of two eleven year olds dancing with girls about five years older. He leaned out and grabbed a drink off a tray being carried by one of the twin girls. She smiled at him before scurrying off to give everyone else refreshments.

_Must be nice, to have so may people around._

He downed his drink in one gulp, enjoying the sweetly taste. He gazed at the celebration occurring in his honour. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. He felt a presence next to him all of a sudden and turned to his left. He nearly yelped when confronted by the short haired girl from earlier. She seemed to be looking at him, but he couldn't be sure, as her eyes seemed permanently closed. She still wore the smile he had seen her with earlier. Gathering his scattered wits, he managed to finally speak.

"H-hello."

The girl's smile grew wider as she answered. "Hello, Mason. My name's Kaede Nagase. Nice to meet you de gozaru."

"Nice to meet you too, Miss Nagase," replied the youth, still slightly taken aback by her sudden appearance. She was surprisingly tall yet still seemed to avoid looking out of place.

"So, what do you do in Mahora?" asked Luke, making conversation.

"I'm a student here, and I also help run the Academy Walking Club," she replied promptly.

"You're a student?!"

"Is it so surprising?"

"Since when do secondary school's allow twenty year olds as students?!" he blurted out without thinking.

"What?"

Luke blinked, and suddenly it hit him. P_lease don't tell me she looks older than she really is!_

He seemed to have slightly annoyed her with that remark. "Are you telling me that you thought I was twenty?" she asked, her smile gone.

_Oh no…_

"Er…" _A gentleman is always honest!_ "Yes."

The girl looked at him for a bit, her expression unfathomable. Then without another word, she stood up and left him. He cringed inwardly.

_Really smooth, Luke. Just like a proper gentleman. Why didn't you just keep your opinions to yourself? A good overall impression has just been ruined by a bad personal one_.

Luke couldn't shake the feeling that his error in judgement was going to cost him. A shame really, she had been rather striking too…._Wait, none of that. I'm here for the world tree, nothing more. Friendship alone might complicate things, let alone a crush._ His resolve hardened within him. _Of course, keep your eye on the prize. My memory is at stake here. That's all. If not for the loss of it, I would never have even considered coming here._ He looked about himself at the girls around him and allowed himself a small chuckle.

_Or would I? _

* * *

"And?"

"He thought I was twenty!" replied Kaede. There was a hint of annoyance mixed with shock in her voice. Mana smiled at that.

"Just like the time we went to the cinema," she said, shaking her head. "I suppose it's just one of those things."

Kaede thought at that. "I guess you're right de gozaru. It is his first day here, but still, to blatantly label me as twenty…"

Mana sighed. "Well, maybe things are done differently where he comes from. Either way, that was just one conversation."

"Why don't you go and talk to him then?" shot back Kaede. Mana was taken aback by that.

"Why me?"

"Because you're the one who's sure there is a misunderstanding de gozaru."

Mana shrugged. "Another day perhaps."

They both looked back at the celebration currently underway.

"There is going to be one mess tomorrow," Kaede finally commented.

"Indeed. Still, it was worth it."

"Was it?"

Mana looked at her and nodded. "It shows the new kid who he will be encountering in the dorms from now on."

"Since when do you care about the new kids?"

"Since when did you care whether he thought you were twenty or not?" countered the sniper.

Kaede smiled at that comeback. "It's a pride thing. Every time I hear something like that I'm convinced I'm ageing prematurely de gozaru."

Mana actually laughed at the last comment.

* * *

A bird sang outside. With a colossal yawn, Luke peeked out from beneath his coat. Daylight was streaming in through a window, and the fresh air was making him dizzy. He sat up, slowly. He had fallen asleep on the couch, and the room was a scene of devastation. Luke groaned inwardly. _This is why I dislike parties. It's always the host who has the task of cleaning up the mess._ With another groan he dragged himself from his makeshift bed and made his way to the bathroom.

_Well, better get ready for today. Lot's to take care of after all._

After a quick shower and change of clothes, he set about cleaning his new dorm. It took him just under an hour, much to his surprise. Also, he had managed to do so without waking his room mates. Luke was filled with pride. _Hah, such a job done quickly and quietly. I'm getting better at this. _His brow furrowed in concentration. _But who are my room mates? I'm sure it was mentioned to me yesterday, but I can't remember…_

Whilst pondering this dilemma he failed to notice the faint stirrings from the beds.

_Who was it? Dammit, why can't I ever remember anything important!? I must've written it down somewhere…_ As he began to methodically search his person for any signs of a self addressed note, his new room mates awoke.

"Mornin'" he heard two high voices squeak in unison.

"Good morning, de gozaru."

Luke froze.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Ideas**

He slowly turned and faced the bunk beds. His face was frozen in shock. One thought kept running through his mind. _Not her, not her, not her, not her, not her!_

"Ah! Morning Luke!" chirruped the twins.

Numbly, he replied automatically, "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Very," said one of the twins.

"Yep," agreed the other.

"Is breakfast ready yet?" asked the first twin. Luke managed to shake his head.

"Aw, well then, Kaede, make us something to eat!" cried the other twin to the bed above.

"Alright," answered the older girl with a grin. She got up and dropped from the upper bunk in one fluid motion.

Luke managed to remember his manners and looked away.

_I should've known my luck wouldn't hold. Somewhere there's a deity laughing at my expense._

Yet Kaede seemed not to notice him, and went into the kitchen to prepare a meal. Sighing, Luke sat down and began framing an apology for his remark last night. Meanwhile, the twins scurried into the bathroom, bickering as to who would use the shower first. Luke shook his head.

_Well, might as well get used to it. My life might be like this for a while yet_. He looked around the room, studying it closely. There wasn't anything as to betray the nature of its occupants, except some hiking plans half rolled up on the desk, and three metal shuriken mounted on plaques on the wall. That was a surprise. Not a lot of people had shurikens mounted like trophies. Well, at least that's what Luke thought. He sat there, deep in thought for about fifteen minutes. His train of thought was suddenly delayed when the twins returned.

"So what do you think of our room?" queried the older of the two.

Luke smiled at them. "I think it's very nice. You obviously take good care of it."

"That's thanks to my sister," she replied, pointing to the other twin. "Oh, my name is Fuka, by the way."

"And I'm Fumika," chirruped the younger twin.

Luke smiled at both of them. "Pleasure to meet you. I hope I don't disrupt your everyday routines too much."

"Nah," both twins replied, grinning mischievously.

"Oooh, I heard you annoyed Kaede last night," Fuka suddenly asked. "How did you manage that?"

"Well, I'm afraid I over estimated her age a bit…" Luke trailed off, knowing how lame that sounded.

Both twins giggled.

Luke raised an eyebrow at that. "What's so funny?"

"It's just that nothing has ever annoyed Kaede before," explained Fumika, "So you're the first. Consider it an honour."

Luke visibly paled. _Ah. So I'm the first person to properly annoy her? Not good. Perhaps I should leave early before she gets any ideas involving a combination of me and those shuriken_…

However, just as he finished that thought, Kaede came back from the kitchen. Luke gulped and tried to make himself unnoticeable. The twins looked at each other and burst out laughing at his discomfort. Kaede spared a glance at him, a neutral expression on her face.

"Good morning, Luke."

"Good morning," he croaked out, sinking in his chair, anticipating the tongue lashing to come. However, Kaede simply swept past him and went into the bathroom. Luke sighed audibly in relief. "Thought I was going to be in trouble there."

"She's just waiting for the right time," spoke up Fuka suddenly.

"Yep, she wouldn't just get you back immediately after something like that. Her revenge will be long and drawn out," added Fumika.

Both girls hid their faces and quietly giggled at Luke's look of horror. _Oh god, what have I done?! OK, time to make myself scarce before she implements her vengeance!_

"Well, I, er, got to go!" He sprang up from his chair and ran to the door. "Lot's of things to do, you know? I'll see you later!" he managed to say before slamming the door and speeding off. Inside, the Narutaki twins were howling with laughter at the scare they had thrown into the blonde youth.

"What's got you two so happy?" asked Kaede coming out of the bathroom, having gotten ready for the day ahead.

"Nothing," chorused the twins, smiling innocently.

"Right. Where has that new guy gone?" she queried, eyeing the two young girls suspiciously.

"He said he had stuff to do and had to leave early. He said he'd apologize to you properly as soon as he got back," answered Fuka.

"Really?"

"Really," confirmed Fumika. Both twins made sure Kaede had turned away before grinning evilly.

* * *

Luke ran as fast as he could. He nearly jumped all the stairs in his haste to vacate the building. Sprinting past a surprised Professor Springfield, he just managed to say "Good Morning" before speeding off through the doors.

Negi blinked in surprise at Luke's energetic exit. "What was that about?"

"No idea. Seemed scared though," replied an ermine perched on the child's shoulder.

The kid teacher sighed. "I suppose being in the same room as the Narutaki twins would be considered by some as a nightmare."

Chamo could only agree.

* * *

Luke finally stopped running about ten minutes after exiting the dormitories. He bent double and breathed hard.

_That was close. Better avoid going back there for a while_ he thought grimly. Finally catching his breath, he straightened up and tried to get his bearings. To his surprise he found himself at the World Tree plaza. It was still early in the morning, so the place was deserted. That was good. Luke enjoyed the tranquillity surrounding the tree. It almost gave of an aura of…kindness? It was difficult to tell. Still, somehow, it was comforting to be near the tree, his goal. The problem was he didn't know how to make it help him. He lay down on the grass near the roots and pondered his troubles. Perhaps finding out more about the tree would help? Something to do with it having a "special time"? Perhaps it's history too, to check if there were cases of it having healing powers or something like that. _Hmmm, but where do I get that information? I doubt its just lying around. On my way to this academy I tried to gather info on it, and nothing. No mention of it anywhere. It's like…the whole world is ignorant of its existence._ He sat up suddenly, grinning foolishly._ Of course! The Academy Library! If it's on campus grounds there's bound to be information there in one form or another! _Luke was nearly buzzing with excitement now. _Not long now! Just have to research the tree, use that to decipher the message and bang, back comes my memory! And then…_

What then?

Luke's smile vanished. What _would_ he do when he got his memory back? Two courses of action presented themselves to him. First, act on what he knew and discover why he lost his memory in the first place. _Yep, sounds good to me_. Secondly, try to establish contact with his family. _They must be worried sick about me, and I don't even remember them _thought the blonde youth sadly. _Then again, it's hardly my fault! Isn't it?_ Shaking his head to dispel those miserable thoughts, he stood up and pulled out the campus map he had acquired only so recently. He studied it more carefully, knowing what he was searching for. After a minute of searching, he found it. Library Island.

Luke grinned in anticipation of the day to come.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Learning**

"_**Knowledge is power, guard it well."**_

The library was mostly empty; it was still around ten in the morning after all. However, for two members of 3A, it meant that they had been working for over two hours now.

"Nodoka, you should take a break some time," commented Yue, watching her friend carrying around stacks of books nearly her height.

"It's ok, I can handle it," replied the taller girl, brushing her hair away from her eyes using her free hand. The stack of books she was carrying was about a metre in height, yet Nodoka seemed unperturbed by this, balancing the books all the way to the front desk. Yue had seen this scene too many times before to be impressed.

"Nodoka, one of these days you're going to injure yourself doing that," she said finally.

Nodoka simply shook her head as she put down the books and rushed off to collect another stack. Yue sighed and began the thankless task of categorising all the books.

* * *

Luke skid around a corner, the island coming to view. _Why the hell am I running? I mean, it's not as if I'm in a rush…_

_Ok that was a lie. Great, lying to myself now. He rolled his eyes. Some gentleman I'm turning out to be. _

Luke laughed quietly as he continued his run. The sooner he took care of this, the sooner his memory would be restored. That made worth the run worth it. Besides, a month of rough living had hardly gotten him in shape, so he might as well exercise while he could. But to finally be this close, his memory almost completely in his grasp, made the previous month worth it. The running, the gathering of information, trying to work out what was going on, relearning everything…the hardships he had endured paled in comparison to this, the knowledge that soon he would be himself again. The distance between him and his salvation closed, and he felt his blood beginning to pound in excitement.

Soon, soon everything will be as it should.

* * *

Yue looked up from the book she had been tagging. She was greeted with the sight of a tall, blonde youth panting slightly, his face flushed. She recognized him after a moment of searching her memory.

"Luke, how can I help you?" she asked emotionlessly.

The 16 year old grinned at her before replying. "Well, I'm curious about the world tree, would you happen to have any books or other information about it?"

Yue looked at him. "Why this sudden interest?"

The young man thought for a moment. "I'm curious. On my way here, I tried to do some research on the academy, but came up empty handed. Being inquisitive by nature, I hoped you would be able to help me satisfy my curiosity about this place and its wonders.

Yue nodded, trying to keep herself calm. _Barely here a day and he's already asking about the tree? Sensei was right, there's more to him than expected. Need to find Nodoka! _

"I'll call Nodoka and have her take you to the relevant section," she replied, dialling Nodoka's number on her mobile.

Luke beamed. "Thank you, Miss Yue." He turned away from her and leaned back against the counter. _So close, so close…_

Within minutes, Nodoka had reached the waiting pair.

"Sorry for the delay. What was it you required?" She smiled apologetically as she said this.

"Luke is searching for some information about the history of the academy, including the world tree."

Nodoka glanced at Yue. The blue haired girl gave a barely perceptible nod.

Nodoka understood. "Shall we get going then?" she asked nervously.

Luke nodded eagerly. "Lead the way, ma'am."

Yue watched the pair head off into the rows of bookshelves. As soon as they turned a corner, she grabbed her phone. Taking a moment to still her shaking hand, she dialled Negi's number.

"He's here,"

* * *

"Wow, this place is huge! How many volumes do you have here?" asked Luke enthusiastically. Due to his incident, he had developed a passion for knowledge, learning anything and everything that he could. On his way to Mahora he had stopped at several different libraries and devoured the knowledge contained within.

"Last time we checked, over five hundred thousand," answered Nodoka, avoiding his gaze.

"Amazing," breathed the young man.

They marched on through the echoing confines of the library, their footsteps echoing amongst the rows of books which seemed to stretch on for eternity.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?"

"Better safe than sorry."

Negi permitted himself a small smile. "Correct, as always Yue."

She barely acknowledged the remark. "So what do we do?"

Negi raised a hand to silence her. "We follow, and make sure to judge his actions accordingly. He may be just curious, but then again, nothing involving the world tree is ever simple. For now, we follow, understood?"

Asuna, Setsuna and Yue nodded.

"Good, then let us be off."

* * *

"Here are the books you requested," said Nodoka, carefully putting down a large stack of books in front of Luke. He eyed the pile in interest.

"So all of those contain information about the Academy and the World tree?"

"Yes."

"Thank you very much, Miss Nodoka. I won't forget this you know." He sat down next to the pile, dwarfed by it, and casually picked out a book. He opened it and began to read. It was old. The letters had nearly faded, and the paper was stiff and brittle. There was no dust on the book though.

"Well, I have other things to be getting on with, so if you need anything else, just walk straight back and you'll reach the front counter, ok?"

Luke simply mumbled a positive reply, too engrossed by his book. Nodoka walked away from him. Making sure he wasn't looking, she ducked behind a large bookshelf and pulled something from her pocket.

With a hushed "Adeat," she summoned her artefact, a large and ornate journal. She carefully flicked to the middle, making sure not to cause any sound, and began to read the words which appeared there.

…_so, the Academy is over a millennia old. Interesting. Then it must have a large collection of books. Perhaps one of them could help as well? Whilst I don't doubt the sincerity of the note, it is always wise to explore alternate paths. Hm? Oh, now that IS interesting. Says here the Academy was well known for its magical nature, and that, according to myth, many mages learnt their trade there. Hmmmm. I should ask the dean about that. Ah! Here we go! The World Tree!_

…_Damn. Nothing about healing powers. Still, magically imbued wood? Many artefacts made? Charming. That nugget of information might come in useful…_

Nodoka looked up from her artefact, and risked a glance at Luke. He had already finished the first book and was moving onto the second. The speed of his reading was phenomenal! But healing powers? Note? Negi-sensei had said nothing about that. She was about to communicate with him when she saw them, running silently down the avenue of books. Asuna, Setsuna, Yue, and Negi of course. She smiled at the sight of them. Now, no matter what happened, they were ready.

* * *

But of course, it was nearly three hours before anything happened. Despite that, they were impressed. To read through so many books so quickly was stunning. Almost…magical. Negi was seriously intrigued by Luke's talent in speed reading. But then it happened. As he continued to read the books, Luke fascination with the mystical side of the academy grew. They kept track of his thoughts using Nodoka's journal. Slowly, it looked like they were left with one option, to erase his memory of anything related to the world tree.

"That's cruel!" gasped Nodoka. "He only wants his memory back!"

"Then why not ask us to help him?" countered the child teacher. "We cannot afford compassion right now. The academy is still reeling from Chao Lingshen's attack. I'm sure you remember what it was like when magic was revealed?"

Nodoka hung her head. Sensei was right, but that didn't mean she had to like his choice. "Very well, Sensei."

Negi's expression softened. "It's for his own good. And anyway, we will still help him, only as his teachers, and not mages."

"W-w-what?" stammered Luke from behind them.

Negi and his partners glanced at each other in horror.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Madness**

"Y-y-you're g-going to w-wipe my m-memory?!" stammered the blonde youth, the fear evident in his eyes.

"What did you hear?" demanded Negi with all the authority he could muster, not liking where this was going.

Luke laughed nervously. "Does it matter? You're going to wipe my memory anyway."

He stopped laughing and glared at them. "But I lost my memory once before. And now, trying to cure myself, I find you trying erase what precious identity I have left!" he finished. "But I won't let you!" he cried out, turning around and fleeing as if the daemons of hell were after him.

"DAMN," swore Negi, giving chase. "Asuna, Setsuna, with me. Yue, alert the dean, Nodoka, fetch the others."

His students acknowledged his orders and rushed to obey them. This was not going to end well.

* * *

_Damn them_ thought Luke, running like the wind. _I trusted them, told them everything, and now they betray me?! Why? Why have they turned against me too?!_ Bookshelves sped past him as if hurled. He rounded a corner at speed, and leapt up a flight of stairs. He continued his desperate escape up the numerous flights. Behind him, he could hear his pursuers trying to keep up. _Why?! Why can't they leave me alone? What did I ever do to them?_ Luke gritted his teeth as rage filled him_. I did nothing, but they still want to erase my memory? They can try, damn them. THEY CAN TRY!!_

* * *

"We can't keep this up, he's too fast," breathed Negi, drained by his use of magic. It was tiring enough trying to keep up with Luke when on the staff, let alone catch up. The stairs seemed to go on forever. But if he escaped who knew what damage he could do…

"Then I'll head him off," replied Setsuna coldly. She stopped by a window, and without thinking twice, leapt out.

"I hate it when she does that," sighed Asuna as she kept running.

* * *

She fell. Then, all of a sudden she unfurled her wings. Catching the updraft coming from the ventilation outlet below her, Setsuna soared straight up like a bullet. The sinking sun illuminated the library, making the windows sparkle as if made form diamond. Focusing on the task at hand, she drove herself towards the roof with mighty beats of her wings.

* * *

"There is no mistake?" queried the dean.

"None, sir," replied Yue. "Luke has become a danger. Last I saw of him, he looked as if he was in shock. Who knows what he might do?"

The dean closed his eyes in contemplation. With a heavy sigh, he spoke. "Very well, but I want him alive, understood? We shall have no deaths at Mahora. Perhaps there is a way of resolving this peacefully yet."

"Yes sir," answered Yue, breaking telepathic contact with the dean before running to gather the teachers.

* * *

"Why did he do that?" said Konoka angrily. "The poor boy lost his memory and he carelessly talks about removing whatever is left!"

"He was just doing as he was trained to," gasped Nodoka, running alongside her.

"That may be true, yet now he's created quite a situation," commented Kazumi, trying to keep up with them. She had somehow managed to tag along, her journalistic sense leading her to a scoop. "This could turn into a tragedy if not handled properly."

"-I mean, perhaps we could've sworn him to secrecy instead? He seemed trustworthy," continued Konoka. "What do you think Kaede?"

Kaede shook hear head, her brow furrowed in concentration.

* * *

Luke burst out onto the roof of the library. His breathing came in short, ragged gasps. He glanced around, and began to run forwards in blind panic. Unfortunately, Setsuna flew up in front of him. Skidding to a halt, Luke spun around and headed back the way he came. He was halfway there before he stopped again. That way was blocked by Negi and Asuna. He glanced about. He was trapped between them. "Leave me alone!" he screamed, running to his left, the only way for him left to go.

"You can't get away Luke, but that doesn't mean it's the end. We will help you regain your memory, just that we can't have you knowing about magic-" began Negi.

"What about if I already knew about it?" retorted Luke, scrambling up onto the parapet. "Have you considered that?! Or does that not matter? Am I expendable? Just as long as mages remain a secret?!"

"He's lost it," whispered Asuna to Negi. "He's in shock."

Negi nodded to her, keeping his eyes on the youth. "Luke, what are you going to do? You have no choice in this."

Luke looked at him wildly. "But Sir, there is always a choice. And, as a gentleman, I should tell you mine." He began to hop from leg to leg on the parapet, effortlessly keeping balance. Negi signalled Setsuna to try flying in behind the rambling youth so as to catch him if he fell.

"Very well then, what are they?"

"Simple," answered Luke, smiling crazily. "The first is I agree to your ideas, and lose my identity once and for all. I would have no family, no friends, nothing. You could then mould me as you saw fit, bringing dishonour down on me and my family." The final words were almost a snarl. He turned suddenly and pointed at Setsuna. "And you, angel. Don't come any closer. You consort with such dishonest beings, and still call yourself pure? You disgust me!"

Setsuna stopped advancing, and simply hovered in place, coldly looking at the boy.

"Good, seems you have some sense left after all," continued Luke, his voice dangerously low. "Now, as to my other choice, professor." The last words were spat out, as if the youth was disgusted saying them. "You should now, that as a gentleman of England, which you were supposed to be as well," he shrieked, pointing at the kid teacher accusingly, "My second choice is my ONLY choice." Luke glared at them all, his face flushed. Negi was horrified. The man had totally lost his grip on sanity. All because of the thought of losing his memory again. This he hadn't predicted, and it looked like Luke was about to pay the price.

Luke turned away from them, gazing at the campus, laid out in front of him like his map. He smiled sadly. _Looks like the month was wasted. I should've known. You truly cannot rely on anyone but yourself_. He turned back towards Negi, Asuna and Setsuna. He glared at them. _Well, I'll cheat them of their victory. My memory's my own, and I'm keeping it!_ He studied them for the last time. Negi was looking scared, Asuna unsure, and the angel…she just hovered there, no emotion visible. _Heh, they can act, I'll give them that._

"Death before dishonour," intoned Luke coldly, before falling backwards off the parapet.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Trust**

Negi gawked at the spot Luke had been standing, his mind numb. Next to him, Asuna seemed to be sick, and as even Setsuna seemed shaken.

"Did he just…?" began Negi, his voice trailing into nothingness.

"No way…" added Asuna, her expression one of shock.

Setsuna acted immediately. She ran towards the point were Luke had gone off, and leapt after him.

* * *

"Almost there!" cried Nodoka. Next to her, Konoka nodded. Behind, Kazumi was adjusting her camera, and in front, Kaede was sprinting full out.

It was Kazumi who noticed.

"What the..?" she gasped. The girls slowed down and looked up. The all saw it. A figure dropping off the roof.

"Is that…?" Konoka managed to say.

They watched the figure plummet to the ground, arms spread, giving the impression of a cross. Behind him, they saw another figure with white wings plummeting after him.

* * *

"I hope Negi is ok," commented Yue, running in front of a Takahata.

"I hope so too. Even if he doesn't have his memory, Luke could still be dangerous magic-wise."

"Then…" began Yue, but was cut short at the sight that greeted the pair as they came in view of the library. Two figures were falling.

"No…" breathed Takahata.

* * *

Luke was falling. The building sped past him as he hurtled towards the ground_. Death before dishonour_ he thought. _My memory stays my own._ Time seemed to slow as the ground came up to meet him.

"Grab my hand!" cried a voice.

Looking up, Luke saw the angel girl, Setsuna, plummeting after him.

He simply glared at her. "Do not interfere!"

She ignored him and grabbed his leg. The demon child spread her wings to their fullest extent, slowing the fall.

Luke lashed out at her, narrowly avoiding her face. "Leave me! My memory's my own, my own you hear me!"

"Calm down," replied Setsuna, holding him tightly. A drop from this height could still kill. "Look, let's just talk it over, ok?"

The blonde youth laughed at that. "Talk? What talk? As soon as we touch the ground, bam, my memory is gone."

"If you talk to us, perhaps we can reach another sort of agreement," gasped the girl. Holding the young man whilst trying to halt their descent was taking its toll. "Besides, if you die, how will you regain your memories/"

That seemed to get through Luke's madness, though he kept struggling.

"So?! What good are my memories if I'm not allowed to keep them?! I might as well make the memories I have so far my own forever. I doubt even your precious magic can steal the thoughts of the dead!" he hissed coldly, smiling. "You think you're all so clever don't you? Well life doesn't go like clockwork."

Setsuna knew that talking wasn't going to help a this stage, not in his panicked state. She closed her eyes and focused, calling up her demon magic which she normally kept sealed away. Though she was not willing to suffer a stain on her honour such as being witness to a death without trying to avert it. Soothing magic flowed through her fingers and into Luke, weakening his struggle.

"W-w-what?!" he stammered, looking at her in confusion.

"If you die, you'll never get them back! You'll consign all those who you knew previously to never finding out what happened!" she nearly shouted. The pain was getting worse.

The youth seemed lost. "How? But I..?"

Setsuna played her last card. "Also, you'd be running away from your problems! Would a gentleman do that?"

Luke looked at her for a bit, then sighed as he closed his eyes. "Damn you, angel," he said softly. "You know me better than I do myself." Then, more loudly, he added. "Fine, you win. I'll talk to you lot. No mind wiping though, clear?"

Setsuna nodded, glad to have reached an understanding. She swung him towards an open window, the same one she had jumped out from in order to intercept him scant moments earlier, before following him in.

They sat next to each other, panting from the event that had unfurled. Soon, they heard running as Asuna and Negi came from upstairs.

* * *

"So do we have an understanding?" asked dean Konoe severely.

They were back in the office. _First day of living here and I'm back in the office _thought Luke absently._ What are the odds?_

"Well?" asked the dean.

Luke brought his attention to the matter at hand. "Sorry sir. Of course we do. I don't reveal mages in return for my memory, correct?"

Dean Konoe nodded. "Good, I'm glad we sorted this out. I apologize of scaring you with the whole memory thing-"

Luke flinched.

"-but I assure you, its standard procedure as far as we are concerned."

Luke tilted his head to acknowledge the comment. "I understand sir."

"Good, then we can take care of another matter."

Luke glanced up at the dean. "Sir?"

"Well, seeing as you just caused a large ruckus, I'm afraid I'll have to put you in detention for the rest of the month. And I wish for you to agree to our tracking of you."

It took a moment to sink in. Resigned to his fate, Luke simply nodded. "Yes Sir." _Only fair in the end_ he supposed.

The dean looked at him pointedly. Luke simple stared back. Eventually the old man nodded, convinced of the boy's sincerity. Luke turned to leave, forgoing pleasantries.

"One more thing," said the dean, stopping him in his tracks. "Should you require any help with matters concerning the return of your memory, don't hesitate to ask for help, understood?"

Luke turned around and bowed. "I thank you for your assistance, sir."

The dean inclined his head. "Now you can go."

* * *

The door closed behind him. Luke leaned against it and slowly exhaled. Then he broke into a smile. _Well, I came here to find some memories, I didn't expect to make any_. He started to laugh softly. The full ridicule of the day had just hit him. His first day of life in the academy, and he had had a nap by the world tree, ran to the library, read over ten volumes, each with over a thousand pages, suffered a panic attack and tried to commit suicide. All in all, one hell of a day. Oh, and had discovered magic. Now there was another avenue of salvation for him to explore. If science cannot help me, perhaps magic can. Luke's laughter grew louder. _The most eventful day I have ever had! This place is amazing! Makes me wonder what tomorrow will bring_. Still laughing, he made his way back to his dorm, happy with the day's events. Sure he almost killed himself, but then again, it had been a misunderstanding. One which had been quickly remedied, thankfully. As a result, he now had access to the world tree and information regarding it. Nothing could ruin the day for him now, he thought happily, walking back to his dorm.

* * *

"Trust me to forget having annoyed a female ninja!!" gasped Luke, sprinting out of the dorms. Inside, the twins were howling with laughter again. Kaede came out from the kitchen. Glancing about, she finally asked, "Wasn't Luke here?"

"Nope," answered the Narutaki twins, smiling innocently.

Kaede frowned. "But it's 10pm!"

"Don't worry though, I'm sure he'll be back soon," added Fuka.

Fumika shrugged. "I'm sure he's ok, I mean, what's the worst that can happen to him here?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Apology**

Luke yawned. It was morning, and he could hear a bird singing softly. He smiled at the tranquillity surrounding him.

_Pity the sofa's so hard though_. He turned over to get into a more comfortable position. No improvement.

_Gah, what's wrong with this thing? It's as hard as rock!_ Annoyed, he opened his eyes.

"What the…?"

Luke sat up, yawning. Brushing strands of blonde hair away from his eyes, he surveyed his surroundings. He was in….a park?!

_Did I miss something?_ He thought confused. _Since when am I sleeping on benches in parks…? _That was when the memory hit him. He smiled slyly as it all returned to him.

_Ah, the ninja girl. God, I really should apologize soon. _Not only was it the right thing to do as a gentleman, but would also mean he could live in the dorm without fearing for his life.

Still, what sort of gift would a girl ninja like_? I doubt the usual bouquet would get much of a positive answer, more like a shuriken to the neck for making some kind of oblique insult to her honour as a warrior…_

Then an idea occurred to the youth. Clicking his fingers, he exclaimed. "Of course!"

* * *

The shop was empty. Not surprising really, few customers purchased the items within. That provided enough income to keep it open. However, its craftsmanship was well known, and it was the key to Luke's apology being taken seriously. The elderly shopkeeper behind the counter glanced up when he heard the door bell tinkle. He saw a young man enter the shop. He was tall, with short blonde hair and piercing hazel eyes. Dressed in worn khaki trousers and a white t-shirt, he was looking around as if searching for something.

"Can I help you?" asked the old man.

The youth glanced at him, smiling. "Perhaps you can, perhaps you can…"

* * *

"Think we went too far?" asked Fumika worriedly.

"I think so," agreed Fuka.

They were both worried. Luke had not been in the dorm for a day and a night, and that wasn't good. Kaede was getting suspicious too. It was fun at first, tricking Luke into thinking Kaede was out to get him, but it looked like they had taken it too far and now the man was avoiding the dorm like the plague.

"Think we should tell Kaede?" queried Fumika, the worry evident in her tone.

Fuka shook her head. "No, first we go search for him ourselves, then tell her."

"Alright," concurred the younger twin.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" asked the elderly shop keeper.

"Indeed," said Luke, carefully putting the gift away in his bag. "You have been most helpful. If I can repay you somehow…"

"Ah, there is no need for that. The payment for that alone will keep me open for months" replied the shop keeper cheerily.

Luke smiled at him. "Still, if I could repay the debt in any way I could…"

The shopkeeper looked at him merrily. "Well, I could use an assistant. Running this shop on my own is extremely difficult after all."

Luke pondered this a moment. Then he grinned. "Consider this my job application then," he said finally offering his hand.

The shopkeeper gripped it in a firm handshake. "Consider yourself hired. I am Makoto Izashima."

"Pleasure to meet you sir. I am Luke Mason."

Makoto acknowledged the comment with a nod. "Good, well, come in tomorrow after school. That's when you begin work, ok?"

Luke nodded eagerly. "Understood sir! Thank you sir!"

Makoto laughed at the boy's enthusiasm. "Well, that's it for now. Run along, you're scaring my customers," joked the older man.

Luke laughed as he left the shop, his new workplace. _What a stroke of luck. I was beginning to need a job anyways. I doubt the savings I have would last much longer, especially after this purchase._ He sighed. _Still, a gentleman does what he must._

* * *

It was afternoon by the time he got back to the dorms. He found his dorm without much difficulty, as a proper gentleman would, knocked politely and waited. _Please let this work, please let this work._ Just in case, he mentally prepared himself for another marathon sprint back to the relative safety of the world tree.

The door opened and Luke was confronted by the twins.

They glanced at him, and yelped in shock. Luke simply stared back, surprised at the welcome he received.

"What's wrong?" he asked casually, suddenly suspicious.

"Where have you been? We were beginning to get worried!" answered Fumika, recovering from the surprise astoundingly quickly.

"Why not just call me?"

"You never gave us your number," replied Fuka, pointing at the youth accusingly.

Luke smiled sheepishly. "Oh, my bad. Still, I'm back now so no problems, right?"

"Well…yeah…but…" stammered Fuka.

"You even had Kaede worried!" burst out Fumika suddenly.

Luke raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Yeah, sure. Me being missing could worry a female ninja out to get me. Right."

"And who told you I was out to get you, de gozaru?"

_Speak of the devil and he shalt appear_ thought Luke bitterly, turning his attention to the older girl. Meanwhile, the twins decided to take this chance to get away before being discovered as the source of Luke's worry.

Kaede was looking at him with her usual blank expression. "Where have you been all this time?"

Luke hung his head in embarrassment. "I was taking care of something. Miss Nagase, I…look, I'm sorry for misjudging your age in our first conversation. It was rude and inconsiderate on my part. So, in way of apology, I got this for you," he said, handing her the gift.

Her eyes widened in surprise slightly, as she took the ornately decorated wooden box, studying the workmanship carefully. She looked at him curiously. "A jewellery box?"

Luke prepared to run. "No, the box holds your real gifts. Now, I hope we can put this unpleasantness behind us and…ah…can you please not try to kill me?"

Kaede looked up at him. "Who told you I wanted to do that?"

Luke blinked, beginning to feel foolish. "Your room mates."

"The twins? You believed them?"

Luke felt like kicking himself. He turned and saw the twins making for the door. "Oh."

The twins realized they'd been spotted and tried to look innocent. Luke turned back to Kaede, trying to control his voice. "Miss Nagase, can you excuse me for a minute?"

Kaede nodded.

Luke smiled his thanks, before turning around and heading towards the twins. The girls yelped and sped out the door.

Giving chase, Luke shouted angrily, "You'd better run!"

Left alone in the room, Kaede looked down at the box in her hands. Carefully, slowly, she opened it. Her eyes widened in surprise. Inside there were three throwing knives of exceptional workmanship. Designs and runes were etched onto their surfaces, each unique. One bore a serpentine dragon, wrapped around the blade. The other a diving hawk, its form carved onto the blade immaculately. The third blade had a charging ram on either side, each strand of its fur etched in silver. She picked one of the knives up. It was perfectly balanced. An amazing gift. She couldn't quite believe that Luke had gotten this for her, as an apology no less. _These must be worth a fortune_ she thought, studying each blade in more detail. _Where did he get these? _She replaced the knives in the box and went over to her desk, placing the box on it with care. _That was surprisingly nice of him. Well, I suppose I can forgive him the age comment, but this is almost too much. _Still smiling she went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. _Looks like he is a proper English gentleman_ she thought happily, beginning to hum to herself. _Perhaps him living here won't be so bad after all…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Business**

"…son"

"Mason"

"MASON!"

The blonde youth snapped awake. "Yes sir!" he answered wildly.

Takahata looked at him, his piercing gaze unnerving. Luke squirmed in his seat.

"Please refrain from napping in my class. Is that understood?" he asked softly.

Luke nodded, glad to have gotten away with only a warning. Whilst not exactly a harsh disciplinarian, Professor Takahata had that look. The one which made you wish you could crawl under a rock and die.

"Good, now as I was saying…" continued his teacher. To his left, Luke spied Kotaro laughing quietly at him. Luke gritted his teeth.

_Stay calm, only five minutes left to go…_

Already knowing all about the subject Takahata was teaching meant that Luke had the luxury of letting his mind wander during class without it affecting his exam results. All the reading he had done in the past was paying off, if not in the way he expected. He idly glanced at his note book, the one concerning today's subject. It was already full with knowledge he had accumulated during his travels. Idly spinning a pen, Luke gazed out the window, watching the sunlight illuminate the courtyard, making the water in the fountain sparkle. The flagstones appeared to be from marble, and the trees were bathed in the golden light, making them seem supernatural. He smiled at the peacefulness of it all.

It was shattered by a sudden harsh ringing sound, signifying the end of class and school. Luke sighed in relief. He didn't how much more he could've endured before going mad from boredom. Shoving his belongings into his bag, he ran from the building, enjoying the fresh air, which made a nice change to the musty air in the class room. Still smiling, he sped off towards Mr Izashima's shop.

* * *

"Hello," he said entering.

The man behind the counter looked up and grinned at the sight of the youth. "Ah, I was wondering when you were going to show up."

Luke glanced at him. "Oh? Has today been busy?"

Makoto Izashima snorted. "Of course not! No one ever comes here anymore. All that I am left to do is to clean all the merchandise I'm never going to sell."

"If you're not going to sell it, then why not modify it in order to sell it?" queried Luke.

"If I knew how, I would," replied the older man. "Are you volunteering for something?"

Luke smiled at the elderly shopkeeper. Despite knowing him for only a short while, Luke had reached the conclusion that this man was friendly and helpful, and a good friend, if slightly eccentric on occasion.

"Yep. Give me several hours, a grandfather clock, and some sheets of metal, preferably steel and tin.

The shop keeper shrugged. "Sure, the stuff is out back. You can use the forge if you like. Just don't set anything on fire you shouldn't."

"Yes, Mr Izashima," said Luke in reply, scrambling off towards the storeroom. This was going to be fun…

* * *

It was nearly evening by the time he had finished. After much melding, huffing, screwing and several exclamations of shocking vulgarity, Luke emerged from the back of the shop. His hands and face were covered in soot, and his apron was partially burnt. Idly sitting on a chair behind the counter, on which he was resting his legs, Mr Izashima glanced at the youth. He looked him up and down before returning to his paper.

"Had a good time?" he asked eventually.

Luke glared at the old man. Then he broke into a smile. "Actually, yes."

Makoto looked back at the blonde boy. "Oh? And what did you manage to make?"

"This," said Luke proudly, showing the man his creation.

Makoto Izashima glanced at the creation, then at the creator, back at the creation, and back at the creator. "You made THAT?"

"Yep," said Luke with a wicked grin. "So, let's see if I can get you more customers, eh?"

* * *

It was early evening, and a cool, crisp breeze was blowing through the avenue of shops. Of course, the Mahora cheerleading group couldn't care less, gossiping about the day's events.

"I couldn't believe Class rep actually asked Negi that!" said Misa Kakizaki with a laugh.

"Are you? I mean, we all know how infatuated she is with him," replied Sakurako Shiina, smiling.

"Yeah Misa, why were you surprised?" asked Madoka Kogimiya.

Misa smiled. "Because I thought it would be Asuna who would ask him that first!"

The trio burst into laughter at the thought of Asuna and Negi on a date. The professor and baka red, what a pair that would be!

They were walking past the older shops, some of which had been there since the campus' conception, when Misa stopped next to one of the massive windows displaying the shop goods and peered in.

Madoka turned to her friend. "Misa? What's up?"

"See that?" replied the pink haired girl, pointing to something inside. The other two teenagers crowded next to her, looking at what she was pointing to.

"Aw, that's cute!" commented Sakurako, her eyes growing wide.

"Must be really expensive though," added Madoka uneasily. "I doubt you can just walk in and buy it…"

"Well, let's find out then!" said Sakurako enthusiastically, pulling the other two girls after her into the shop.

"Hello!" cried out the pig tailed girl. "Can we ask you something?"

"Sakurako, you need to stop being so hyperactive all the time…" sighed Madoka. Misa giggled at the thought of their friend trying not to be herself for a day.

"What do you wish to know?" replied the blonde youth at the counter, not looking up from a paper he was reading.

"How much is that statuette in the window?" asked Sakurako cheerfully.

"We don't have any statuettes," answerers the youth , not bothering to look up.

Misa blinked in surprise. "What is it then?"

"It being…?" countered the young man.

"That pretty bird?" she continued, pointing at it.

The youth looked up, and looked at the trio. Suddenly, he clapped his hands together.

"Ah, Miss Kakizaki, Miss Shiina, Miss Kogimiya, welcome!"

The cheerleaders gaped at him.

"Luke!? What are you doing here?" asked Misa, recovering from the surprise fastest.

The boy grinned at the Mahora cheerleading team. "Working," he replied simply. "Now, as to your question, that is a musical clockwork," he said, indicating the metallic nightingale.

Sakurako tilted her head sideways, indicating that she didn't understand. Madoka raised her eyebrows in scepticism, and Misa just ooohed.

Catching their expressions, Luke smiled. "Alright, I'll show you."

He walked over to the clockwork, and carefully picked it up. He brought it over to the girls. Sakurako gasped at the intricate detailing. Each feather was individually etched onto the metal. The bird was bronze coloured, with a magnificent silver coloured breast. It was perched on a beautifully made branch, fashioned from metal, which also acted as a stand for the miniature masterpiece. Misa bent to get a closer look, and Madoka seemed cautious of it.

"Behold! A masterpiece of clockwork engineering! Why use electronically powered devices when springs and gears can be just as effective?" boasted Luke with pride.

"How does it work?" asked Misa, her eyes full of wonder.

"Simple. You just wind it up using this." He held up a key, and carefully inserted it into a hole located on the bird's perch. He slowly turned it for a while, and apparently satisfied, pulled it out. "After winding it up, simply push the branch down to activate it," he continued, feeling like a proper salesman. _If Makoto could see me know, he'd be laughing his head off…_

Clearing his head of distractions, Luke pressed the branch down slightly. Immediately, the bird stood upright and spread its wings. As its beak moved, a soft and soothing melody filled the shop. It was echoing and peaceful. Sakurako found herself humming along with it, and Misa joined in. Madoka, smiled softly, allowing the melody to calm her after a hectic day.

Luke studied the expressions of the girls closely, trying to keep a smile off his face. _They look so happy and peaceful. Makes me feel even more proud to have created this. _He smiled. Knowing that ones creations bring joy to people, that they are appreciated…that's the greatest joy a craftsman may feel. All too soon though, the melody ended. Sakurako opened her eyes, disappointed of being robbed of more time enjoying the music. Misa kept humming the tune, unable to get it out of her mind. Madoka just looked at the little contraption in wonder.

"That was amazing!" she gasped. "How was it able to do that?"

"Alas, only the creator knows," replied Luke with a heavy sigh. Inside he was laughing. _Boy, I'm really pulling out all the stops on this!_

"You mean it was hand made?" queried Misa, her eyes wide in admiration.

Luke just nodded.

"How much is it?" whispered Sakurako, enraptured by the little bird.

"Well, as you can see, it is of high quality, and has been hand crafted with extreme care. But, considering my circumstances, I will sell it to you for 1000 yen."

The cheerleader trio looked at him in shock.

"1000 for something like that?! That's unbelievable!" said Misa.

"What's the catch?" asked Madoka, convinced some sort of scam was going on.

"The catch is that this store has been doing poorly. I need to sell anything I can just to keep it open. The owner found a container with dozens of these. Consider their price reduced due to age and necessity. If I don't sell them, they most probably be melted into scrap metal," he finished, almost growling at the thought. "So I'd rather have this in your hands than being melted."

Sakurako and Misa seemed touched by his tale, yet Madoka still seemed unconvinced.

"So…we can have it for a 1000 yen?" asked Madoka eventually.

Luke smiled sadly. "Yes, although I do have a favour to ask as well."

"Sure," said Sakurako.

"Tell others about this place. I don't want the other clockworks to be gone too. The maker spent so much time creating them, and to just melt them is…well, an act of murder against art."

The trio nodded in solemn agreement. Luke beamed at them. "Thank you," he whispered softly.

After the girls had purchased the intricate wonder and left, promising to spread the word about the store and its wonders, Luke went out back. He found Mr Izashima perched just outside the door, in the shadows. He had been listening to the conversation. He wore a shocked look.

Luke grinned wickedly. "You owe me 2000 yen!" he cried victoriously, punching the air.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**Rumours**

Luke awoke with a start. He sat up immediately, and wished he hadn't. A lancing pain shot through his neck, and he gasped in pain. _Son of a….THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T SLEEP ON COUCHES!!_ he roared at himself mentally. His stiff neck was getting worse everyday. _I'd be better off sleeping on the floor…_ he thought bitterly. _At least I can lie down properly on that!_

"Morning, sleep well de gozaru?"queried Kaede, sitting up in her bed, glancing down at him.

Luke smiled at her, rubbing his neck vigorously to ease the stiffness. "Yeah, very well, thanks," he replied. "And you?"

She smiled back at him. "Well enough thank you." She frowned suddenly. "Are you sure you're ok, sleeping on the couch like that?"

"Meh, I'll manage," he said, grinning.

"You could always sleep in my bed," Kaede added, still smiling. She patted the bed beneath her invitingly.

"Oh? Really? Tha-wait what?!" he said as the fully impact of her words hit him.

She laughed at his obvious surprise. "Oh, not like that. I meant you could sleep in my bed whilst I sleep with the twins."

"Oooh," said Luke, catching on. _Thank goodness for that…._ "Well, thank you for the offer, but I wouldn't dream of depriving you of your own bed."

"Are you refusing my offer? That's so rude," she countered, one eyebrow raised, a small grin on her face.

"No…but…I mean…" Luke stammered, before hanging his head. _Dammit. She's got me there. _"Ok, but for one night, ok? After that, I'm getting a sofa bed in here, fair enough?"

"And how will you afford that?" asked Kaede, surprised at the youth's idea.

"Aaaah, now that's a secret!" replied Luke, grinning wickedly.

* * *

School that day was uneventful. Apart from getting into a fight with Kotaro at break, which resulted in several bruises and a black eye, nothing of any importance occurred. As he limped to work, Luke's thoughts turned to the morning's events.

_Is Miss Nagase always that carefree? I mean, she obviously doesn't worry about stuff like giving the wrong impression, but honestly, what was she thinking?! Instead of offering to find me another place to stay, she offers her bed instead. Why? _

Luke frowned as he probed his thoughts. _Perhaps she wants me to stay in the dorm? Hm, unlikely. More likely she's keeping an eye on me to make sure I don't try anything strange. Oh, and perhaps she doesn't want to burden anyone else with me?_

As Luke approached Mr Izashima's shop, he finally reached a conclusion. _I'll talk to her about it first chance I'll get. That should ease my troubles._ Smiling with his idea, he entered the shop.

"Oh, hiya Luke!" cried Sakurako.

Luke blinked in shock. He honestly had not expected to see her back in the shop so soon. "Hello Miss Shiina. How can I help you today?"

Mr Izashima, standing by the counter, leered at him. "This young missy has been asking after you ever since you sold her that contraption."

Luke gulped slightly. _Ah, this might turn out bad…._ Still, as a gentleman, he couldn't run from potential problems. "So what do you want, Miss Shiina?"

Sakurako smiled at him sweetly. "Well, firstly, don't call me Miss Shiina. It makes me feel old. Call me Sakurako."

Luke remembered very well what trouble had been caused the last time he had insinuated that a girl was old. "Very well Miss Sh – Sakurako," he corrected himself. "Now, what other matters did you want to discuss with me?"

The girls grinned at the use of her name. "Well, you see, I was wondering about what other little clockworks you happen to have in stock."

Luke shrugged. "At the moment, copies of the one I sold you, but I'm sure I can find some other pieces. Why?"

"Well, it's just I want to know if there is a limited supply of such pieces of art," she replied, bouncing around with excitement. "If they are, then I'm sure they're more valuable than you realize."

"Where exactly is this conversation leading?"

"Simple. When the Mahora cheerleaders promote your wares, we will also mention limited supply. That always get's people interested, especially if it's that beautiful and cheap."

Luke slowly smiled, seeing what the girl was aiming at. "So, you raise our business, but in return…?"

Sakurako nearly burst from excitement. "In return, you reserve one of each item for me!"

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Is that all? If it is, then we have a deal."

Sakurako squealed in joy and gave the blonde youth a fierce hug. Mr Izashima grinned at the boy's discomfort. Releasing him, she turned to the elderly man and added, "If it's ok with you of course?"

"I have no objections," answered the shopkeeper.

"Great! Then I'll go tell Misa and Madoka!" With that, the girl skipped out of the shop, happily humming to herself.

Luke glanced at Mr Izashima, who was now laughing. "Oh, be quiet," muttered Luke, feeling himself blush.

* * *

It was late evening by the time he got back to the dorms. It had been a busy day. Mr Izashima had ordered him to do a full inventory of their stock to see what they had to work with, as well as set aside anything that they could convert into something sellable. Luke sighed heavily as he dragged himself into his room. He dumped his stuff in its usual place, next to the sofa. He was about to lie down, when he remembered his promise to Miss Nagase. _Oh god. I wish that was all the difficulty I had today _he thought, absently rubbing his black eye. Having a quick shower, and light supper, he scrambled up the ladder to Miss Nagase's upper bunk. He lay down, enjoying the soft surface, which made a pleasant change from the hard couch. The soft caress of the sheets lulled him off to sleep softly and quickly.

* * *

Kaede returned home with the twins. They had spent the day training not far from the school, in a secluded piece of woodland not far from Evangeline's cottage.

"Come on, Kaede! When can we start to throw shurikens?" asked Fuka eagerly.

"When you're old enough," replied the older girl with an easy smile.

"Aw, come on!" groaned Fumika as they went inside their dormitory. "We've passed all the tests you wanted us to do!"

"Don't complain, you'll only lengthen the time your training lasts."

The twins took the hint and shut up As soon as they got past the threshold, they ran over to their bed and jumped in, not bothering to change.

Kaede raised an eyebrow at that. "Aren't you going to change, de gozaru?"

Fuka yawned loudly. "Nah, we're too tired. These aren't our school clothes anyway, so it doesn't matter."

The older girl rolled her eyes at that. "Fine, as you want." She went off to prepare for bed.

"So what do you think Fuka?" asked the younger twin.

"I think your idea has some merit, Fumika," replied her twin.

"So is the bet on?"

"You're on!"

The young girls giggled at the prospect of the coming months, but fell silent and feigned sleep when Kaede returned.

Looking at their sleeping forms, Kaede couldn't help but smile. Despite their failings, she was proud of the twins. They had potential, if only they would focus more on their studies. She sighed again. There was too much happening at once these days. Her training, the twins training, trying to keep track of Luke for Negi… Actually, where was he? Probably somewhere looking for a sofa bed. Either that or the twins had said something to him again and now he was too afraid to face her. She shook her head as she climbed the ladder to her bunk. That kid really was too easy to scare. She suddenly stopped in surprise as she saw Luke in her bed, his back to her, moving slightly with each breath. _Heh, looks like he kept his promise after all._ Then an idea occurred to her. With a smile, she added,_ Well, why should the twins have all the fun of scaring him? I think some shock therapy might get him to open up to us a bit more…_ Still smiling, she implemented her idea, trying her best not to cause any noise that could wake up the resting youth.

* * *

Another day dawned. For once, it was the twins who awoke first.

"Morning," yawned Fuka.

"Good morning," answered Fumika.

"Kaede, make us breakfast please," asked Fuka in her sweetest voice. When no answer was forthcoming, she turned to her sister. "Has Kaede gone already?" Fumika shrugged in response. "Fine, I'll check," snapped Fuka. Muttering about the uselessness of her sister, she clambered up the ladder to wake up Kaede.

"Kaede, wake up! We're going to be-" her voice trailed off at the sight that greeted her. She bit her tongue to suppress a giggle. "Fumika, get up here. This you have to see!"

"What is it?" queried her twin.

"See for yourself!" giggled Fuka in reply.

Fumika clambered up next to her sister. Her eyes went wide and she too burst into a fit of giggles. Lying asleep, face to face, were Kaede and Luke. Their faces were peaceful and scant inches apart. Kaede's arms were wrapped around Luke's neck, and his left arm was holding onto her waist. The twins glanced at each other and dropped from the bed.

"Know what this means?" asked Fuka, an evil glint in her eye.

"That they're friends now?"

Fuka gaped at her younger sister's naivety. "No! It means they have become more than friends! And under our very noses too! I can't believe we missed this developing!"

"Are you sure that's what it is? I mean, they haven't exactly known each other long so…" replied Fumika hesitantly.

"Then it was love at first sight!" Fuka was really getting worked up now. "This is HUGE! Come on, get ready quick! We have to tell them before school!" With that, she ran into the bathroom to get ready.

"Tell who?" queried Fumika, going after her.

The older twin smiled mischievously. "Why, everyone of course!"

* * *

Luke awoke, but did not open his eyes. He hated the harsh light of day disorienting him within minutes of waking up. Also, it allowed him to commit his dream to memory. What had it been? _Ah, something….something about Kaede? _He smiled softly, before reality reasserted itself.

_WHOA, hold it. Not going down that route. Remember, here for the world tree, nothing more, and nothing else. Also, trying to get involved with a girl ninja? Seriously bad idea._

Luke had to agree with his common sense. He had enough difficulty in life without including girl trouble. That was the last thing he needed.

"You know, you look kinda cute when you're asleep de gozaru," he heard a voice whisper.

His eyes shot open. Of all the sights he had been expecting, this wasn't one of them. Kaede's face right in front of his, her arms embracing him. Luke went through an emotional crash course in the space of a second. First his face turned crimson at the thought of having slept next to a girl, _a girl he had dreamt about no less,_ then his expression turned to one of shock as he considered the possibility his dream hadn't been a dream, before turning red in embarrassment as to what that would mean, and back to horror as he realised the possible consequences of that. With a yelp, he leapt out of the top bunk and crashed onto the floor.

Kaede looked down on him, trying hard not to laugh. _Well, I got him shocked to say the least_ she thought with a silent laugh. "Are you ok?"

"What were we…I mean you….I mean I….what's going on?!" he stammered out, slightly panicky.

Kaede pouted. "Oh, you're no fun. I simply decided to surprise you, so when you were asleep I slipped in next to you."

Luke gaped at her, breathing hard. "T-that's it?"

Kaede smiled warmly at him. "Of course, now calm down and let's eat something it's already…" she glanced at her watch. "8 O'clock!? We have top run de gozaru. We're going to be late!"

At that Luke kicked into gear. He sprang to his feet and raced to the bathroom.Kaede dropped form the bed and went to the kitchen to grab a bite. A minute later they swapped, and a minute after that, they raced from the dorm, splitting up after exiting the building, Kaede heading towards her class, whilst Luke charged off to his, praying he wasn't late.

Both ignored the furtive glances cast in their directions, and the excited whispers that followed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**Realization**

"MASON!" barked Takahata.

"Yessir!" Luke's head snapped up, his eyes slightly glazed over.

"Please refrain yourself from napping in my class. This is your final warning. We all know what an eventful night you had yesterday-"

_Huh? What does he mean? _

"-but that's no excuse for taking time off this class to sleep, understood?" finished Takahata, a small smile on his face. Some of the boys in class sniggered, and Kotaro flicked him a thumbs up, silently mouthing, _So how's it going with Kaede?_

Groaning inwardly, he banged his head on his desk in frustration.

* * *

"So Kaede," whispered Mana. "What's all this about you and Luke?"

Kaede looked at her friend in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, the twins nearly exploded with excitement when they found out. They've been broadcasting the news all over the campus."

Kaede frowned. "What have they been saying?"

"Oh, well, that…" began Mana.

"That you and Luke are lovers!" butted in Haruna earnestly. "So? Is it true?"

Kaede looked at them blankly. "What? What are you on about?"

The other two glanced at each other. "So, you saying it's not true? The twins have evidence you know."

"What evidence?" queried Kaede, curious.

"Just this," answered Haruna, smirking. She was holding a photo. "You know, you two look cute together."

Kaede raised an eyebrow at that, and leant in to inspect the photograph. Her eyes widened slightly, and she felt herself turn slightly red.

"Wow, she's actually blushing," grinned Haruna evilly. "So do you deny this proof?"

With Mana looking at her expectantly, Kaede realised that it was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Well, I never knew you had it in you," joked Kotaro, patting Luke on the back. The blonde youth was still at his desk, despite it being break, his head buried in his hands.

"Don't start," he mumbled back. "Just don't."

"Well, I'm impressed. Whatever you lack in strength, you make up for with charisma. Kaede never was one for intimate relationships."

Luke groaned audibly at that.

"Eh, don't worry, you're past that stage already. She won't dump you."

"She can't, because this is all a misunderstanding, you hear me?!" snapped back the irritated boy.

"Then how do you explain this?" replied Kotaro smiling slyly, holding something out.

Luke chanced a glimpse through his fingers. And groaned again. It was going to be one hell of a long day.

* * *

"Told you it was huge!" giggled Fuka.

"But it was an invasion of privacy!" retorted Fumika. "They obviously didn't want anyone to know or else they would've told someone already!"

Fuka sighed, exasperated. "That's what makes it more romantic! A secret love blossoming…"

"Well, it certainly isn't a secret now!" countered Fumika. "I still think this was a bad idea! Have you thought what this could do for their relationship?!"

Fuka stopped smiling. "That I didn't consider," she admitted, slightly embarrassed. "But what's the worst that could happen?"

"A break up?" answered Fumika, glaring at her older twin.

Fuka frowned. "They wouldn't do that! Would they?" she queried, unsure of herself.

Fumika looked at her sister in shock. "Of course they could! Or worse, the teachers might try to keep them apart! And if that happens…" she trailed of, fear creeping onto her face.

"Then what?" whispered Fuka, her eyes wide.

"Haven't you ever read a tragic romance? When the lovers are separated?"

"Well, yes but…oh my god!" cried Fuka, realising what Fumika was getting at. "They wouldn't do that!"

Fumika looked dead serious. "Can you guarantee that?"

The twins glanced at each other, before focusing their attention on Kaede. She seemed…sad.

_Oh no_ they thought in unison.

* * *

_Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN!_ roared Luke inside. _How the hell did this happen? Next thing I know, I could be expelled! The world tree denied to me forever! I will not let whoever did this get away easily. Damn them, what are they planning to do?! And who are they?_

He continued his monologue as he sprinted as fast as possible to Mr Izashima's shop, taking a quiet detour so as to avoid the glances and whisperings.

_Tell people something, show them a picture, and they believe it. Honestly. Anyone who knows me or Kaede would know that something like that happening is impossible. She's a ninja, and I'm here for the world tree. Where the hell would we find time to even talk to each other? Let alone begin some sort of friendship? _Luke gritted his teeth as he felt a headache building up. _Man, all this thinking is causing havoc with my health…_

"Sorry I'm late!" he gasped, slamming the door shut and leaning against it for support whilst he recovered from his cross country run.

"Well, 'bout time you got here, Romeo."

_Aw man_

"Sir, not you too!" he moaned.

Mr Izashima was smiling broadly, and gave the youth a discreet wink. "What? That sorta thing gets around fast on this campus. I was told by Miss Shiina."

Luke felt like throttling something. "Well, girls enjoy all sorts of gossip. You shouldn't believe everything you hear!"

"He's here!" he heard a girl cry out._ Oh, for the love of…._

He spun around expecting the worst. He was greeted by the sight of the Mahora cheerleading trio in their infamous pose. Luke's eye twitched. _God, this is going to be good…._

* * *

It took him nearly fifteen minutes to explain the situation to the over enthusiastic trio and his boss. Eventually, they got the message.

"So if you can excuse me, I'm off to find out what the hell is going on!" finished Luke, heading for the door.

"Hang on, we're going too!" said Sakurako, running after him.

"Eh?! Why do we have to go too?" asked Misa and Madoka in unison, being dragged out of the shop by Sakurako.

"Idiot! If Luke finds out who did it, and tells that to Kaede, she might be grateful!"

"And?" continued Misa, chasing after Sakurako.

"And she may be so thankful that the rumour becomes reality!" giggled the girl cheerfully.

Madoka and Misa glanced at each other, sharing a small smile as they ran after Luke.

* * *

They finally caught Kaede at the world tree plaza.

"Have you heard, I mean seen, I mean…" panted Luke, his face flushed form a day's running.

Kaede glanced at him and nodded.

Taken aback by her casual response, he asked. "Then what are we going to do about it?"

Kaede smiled her trademark smile. "Simple. That's what I've been planning all day…"

* * *

"What are they doing now?" asked Fumika, trying not to fall over.

Standing on her shoulders, looking through a pair of binoculars, Fuka answered. "They're talking. Damn, I should've been to Kaede's lip reading lesson!"

"It's your own fault you decided to skip it!" retorted Fumika, swaying slightly. They were both hiding in the bushes lining the world tree plaza, spying on the couple.

"Hang on! Oh, the cheerleaders are there!" commented Fuka.

"What?! Why are they there?!"

"How should I know? But this might become interesting…" she said, watching the conversation become quite animated.

* * *

"No way, just no! Such a thing goes against my code of conduct as a gentleman!" said Luke, waving his arms in emphasis. The cheerleaders were giggling at his antics, whilst Kaede simply looked surprised at his response.

"How come?" she asked. "I mean, it not like you're being rude, or hurting anyone…"

"It's still lying! And even though it's a good idea, I can't lie to people!"

"What if I ask you for help? What then? Would you refuse a young girl's plea for aid, de goazru?" countered Kaede, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, would a proper gentleman do that?" added Sakurako, realising Kaede's plan.

Luke glared at both of them. _Damn, they got me there. Why is it so easy to manipulate me?! _

Acknowledging defeat, he hung his head. "Fine, you win. Are you sure about this though?"

Kaede's smile grew wider. "Oh, trust me. I know what I'm doing." She turned to the cheerleaders. "I'm counting on you too," she added with a wink.

Sakurako grinned back and gave her a thumbs up. "You can count on us! Come on Misa, Madoka! We've got a lot of gossip to spread!"

Luke watched the infamous trio run off to play their allotted part in this. "I can't help but know something's going to go wrong," he muttered under his breath. Suddenly he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Kaede had that smile again. The kind one would find on a shark. As she dragged him away, Luke felt like uttering a prayer to any deity that was bothering to listen so as to survive the rest of the day.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Countermeasures **

"It's awful…"

"I know…"

"I mean, who could've known they could do something so drastic?"

"What are you three plotting now?" said Haruna, walking up to the Mahora Cheerleaders. The trio glanced at her, falling silent.

"Nothing," they replied in unison.

"Oh really?" asked Asakura, coming up behind them. She had a gleam in her eye and an easy grin on her face. "It's not everyday the famous trio is so quiet, especially with the rumours running around."

Misa, Madoka and Sakurako glanced at each other. Haruna's eyebrow shot up, and Asakura leant in closer.

"You can't keep anything from me you know. I have ways of finding out what you were talking about, so might as well tell me now before I broadcast it over campus!" continued Asakura, anticipating a scoop. She hated the fact she had missed out on the Kaede/Luke business, and needed something to win back her reputation as the best gatherer of information on campus.

The cheerleaders looked up at her, and the reporter recoiled in surprise. The trio were weeping. Confused, she looked to Haruna, who was just as surprised as she was. "Whoa, calm down, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I-i-it's about them…" Misa managed to stammer out, tears running down her face.

Asakura's attention focused on the smaller girl. Them. Not a lot of guesswork involved in figuring out who she meant. "What about them?" she whispered soothingly.

"W-w-we heard them talking…" added Madoka in between sobs.

Haruna also leant in closer to hear the girl's confession.

"S-something ab-bout the d-dean not allowing it t-to continue," continued Misa, holding tightly onto Asakura.

"A-and th-then somethi-thing about b-being together i-in the n-n-next world…" finished Sakurako weeping.

Asakura and Haruna looked at each other in horror and fascination. The earlier news paled in comparison to this! Both girls thanked the cheerleading trio, and after promising to bring help, ran off.

As soon as they had gone, the trio looked at each other, and with tears still running down their faces, began to laugh in victory.

* * *

"I refuse to accept that!" roared a voice.

"But dean's orders are orders, de gozaru."

"Well, perhaps we should go somewhere where we don't have to listen to him then?"

Luke and Kaede sat opposite each other in their room. Kaede was smiling, Luke cringing. _I hate acting_ he thought miserably. Kaede mimed him to continue. With a sigh, Luke took a deep breath and prepared to continue his false rant. He hoped this worked.

* * *

Outside, in the hallway, some of the 3A girls were crowded around the door, listening in.

"This doesn't sound good!" whispered Makie, looking at the others. "Sounds like Luke is really angry at the headmaster!"

As if on cue, Luke roared from behind the door. "Who the hell does he think he is?! Ordering me around like that? Does he honestly think I'll just shelf my emotions at his behest!?"

The eavesdropping girls goggled at each other.

* * *

Inside, Luke was panting for breath. _My throats getting hoarse_ he indicated to Kaede. She nodded and went over to the door. Glancing at him, she tilted her head. Luke scrambled over to the desk and pulled something out. He flicked her a OK sign. Kaede put an arm to her face, as if she was weeping, and threw open the door.

* * *

The door opened. The girls jumped back in surprise as Kaede raced out towards the stairs, crying.

"K-K-Kaede?!" stammered Makie, watching the older girl run off.

"What wrong?" cried Ku Fei, giving chase.

"Heeeeeeyyyyyy!" they heard from the other end of the dorms. Turning, they saw Haruna running towards them. "Where's Kaede?"

The three girls indicated the direction the tall girl had ran.

Haruna glanced at them. "What about Luke?"

They indicated the dormitory. Haruna ran inside. Then screamed and jumped back into the hallway.

Negi came running from his room. "What's wrong?" he asked, seeing a horrified Haruna and shocked Ku Fei, a fearful Makie, a trembling Nodoka and impassive Yue. Haruna simply gestured inside the room. Steeling himself, he glanced inside. _God, they overdid it. Looks like a scene from a horror film. _Luke was lying face up in a pool of blood, a dagger protruding from his heart. As soon as Negi came into view, Luke gave him a quick wink, and then returned to playing dead. Negi shook his head in exasperation. _I'm too old to be involved in these childish acts of revenge_ thought the ten year old wearily.

He went back to the hall, putting on his most serious face. "Ku, Makie, find Kaede. Nodoka, take Haruna to the infirmary. Yue, go with her and bring back some help."

"What is it sensei?" asked Nodoka, her eyes wide in fear. Negi shook his head and closed the door.

"Better for you not to know," he simply said, meaning every word.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Sakurako, Misa, and Madoka were hiding in the bushes next to the dorm. They watched a figure being taken away by Negi, and watched as several other students rushed into the dorm, curious to know what happened. Nodding to each other, the trio burst from cover and sped into the dorms, crying again. They burst in rather dramatically, as planned, and began speaking at the same time, as if in blind panic. "They found Kaede!" "They were too late!" "What have we done…?" they cried in unison.

The girls looked at them in shock. "What do you mean?" asked Hakase, coming towards them.

"They found Kaede," sobbed Sakurako.

"But she was…was…was…." Misa didn't get to finish. She broke down into tears again as the whole dorm fell silent in horror.

They had all heard from Asakura what the cheerleaders had overheard, but had simply dismissed it as the imaginings of a washed up reporter. The Narutaki twins especially seemed hard hit by the news. The older girls began to offer their condolences whilst comforting each other.

* * *

"Christ, we went too far," breathed Luke, hearing the cries of agony and woe coming out of the dorms.

Kaede was no longer smiling, but she didn't seem troubled either. "This is a lesson they have to learn, de gozaru. If they continue to jump to conclusions and believe everything they hear, it could cause a disaster later on. Consider this a wake up call."

Luke muttered something about pushing his luck.

* * *

The girls were all in a subdued mood when he walked in with Kaede. They came in chatting, as if it was any other day. Several girls screamed in shock. The Narutaki twins keeled over. Mana shook her head at her friends elaborate trick. Asakura and Haruna gaped at the pair, then at the cheerleader trio, who were rolling around on the floor, laughing.

"Let that be a lesson to you all," began Luke. Inside he was basking in triumph. Despite his misgivings seeing the reaction of the girls was exactly what he needed to lift his spirits after an embarrassing day.

"Don't trust what you hear," finished Kaede, thinking the same thoughts as the blonde youth next to her.

The pair grinned at each other, then high-fived. With a laugh they spun around and fled the building as twenty girls realized they had been tricked and gave chase.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Fallen Angel**

"Master, are you sure about this?" said Chachamaru in her monotonous voice.

"Of course I am. Don't question my orders again, understood?" replied the small girl next to her. Despite looking to be only ten years of age, she was actually closer to five hundred. The Dark Evangel, wanted all over the world for various atrocities.

"But master, isn't it too soon to do something like this? We do not even know if he has recovered-"

"That's why this is a test of his abilities. Even when weakened, one must be on guard against one's enemies, now stop questioning me you stupid robot!" snarled back Evangeline in frustration. "Damn, why is it always so hard to draw these things?!"

The "thing" in question was a massive arcane circle, entwined with various symbols of the elements. Fire, water, earth, air, metal, light and darkness combined. The symbols seemed to squirm with a life of their own. Evangeline paid them no mind though, trying to draw a perfect circle using only her hand and chalk, muttering under her breath, "If I had my magic, I wouldn't need to resort to this, but that damn dean refused to stamp another three hundred forms all day. Like it would kill him!"

"Master, perhaps we should have told him about this. This may cause a lot of difficulty to the teachers and-"

"Damn you, shut up and finish the circle! If we told them, it wouldn't be a test of their responsive abilities. Besides, if things get out of hand, I can just as easily exorcise as I can summon!" barked Evangeline. "Now come on! We've got to finish this today! And don't eavesdrop on me!"

Chachamaru continued to draw the circle with emotionless ease, a faint sigh of frustration escaping her. Master had become more…difficult to live with lately. It seemed as if the Mahorafest incident had convinced her that all in the academy were weaklings, and so needed proper training in order to avoid a repeat of the incident. Hence this summoning ritual. Unfortunately, several ingredients were still required. Luckily, she knew exactly where to get them…

* * *

Luke groaned in frustration. He was sitting behind the counter in Mr Izashima's shop, absently toying with his broken pocket watch. _Where the heck is he?_ _He said he wanted an assistant, not a replacement!_ Sighing, he spun the watch on the desk. He watched it twirl as he continued thinking. _Well, at least it's quiet today. Those cheerleaders cause a ruckus wherever they go. That's the last thing I need today_ he thought, nursing a bruise on his jaw. Damn, why did Kotaro pick on him? _That little wolf had better watch it or else…_ His thoughts of vengeance were interrupted by the tinkling of the doorbell. He grabbed the watch and stuffed it in his pocket. Glancing up, expecting Mr Izashima back, but instead he saw a ten year old girl with a fifteen year old, who had some very strange hair decorations. He shrugged slightly. Actually, compared to everything else he'd seen since arriving at Mahora, strange fashions were no where near the top of the weird list.

But the ten year old definitely was. Luke started as he recognized her from one of the lectures Professor Springfield had given him regarding the more…unusual students. The vampire, Dark Evangel. A bounty of…what was it? Six million yen? _Oh no. If she's here, then I'm doomed_ he thought in fear. Still, being an English gentleman, he would face whatever danger he met before running away screaming in terror. Whimpering slightly at the thought of a dangerous criminal near him, he asked politely. "C-c-can I help you?"

The girl looked up at him. "Perhaps, boy. I'm looking for several old artefacts and I think you could help me."

"Certainly, Miss McDowell," replied Luke, calming himself. _She's not here to kill you, just to shop._ "What are you looking for?"

She grinned evilly. "Two vials of ravens blood, one poisoned dagger and a three hundred year old hand." She enjoyed freaking out the new guys in this shop. So far, only Mr Izashima had proved to be immune to her unique brand of terror. _Still, things change with time_, she thought with another evil smile.

Upon hearing Miss McDowell's request, several options ran through Luke's mind. The first, and most attractive option, was to run for the door screaming. The second was slightly more dignified. He apologises for not being able to help, then runs for the door screaming. Or of course he could just do his bloody job and earn his wages. He was going to need them to pay off the medical bills after all. Sooner or later Kotaro was going to break something he shouldn't…

Snapping out of his thoughtfulness, he smiled at the child and replied. "Of course, ma'am. Can you wait here for a moment whilst I get those for you?"

The young girl was visibly surprised by his response, but still managing to nod. _Hmmm, this new guy's good. Today may prove to be interesting…_

Still smiling, Luke went to the storeroom. Closing the door behind him, he slumped against it and exhaled slowly. He had started to do that a lot lately. It helped relieve tension. His heart was beating like a jackhammer. _Well, she hasn't killed me yet. Looks like my luck's holding._

"Master, why are you smiling?"

"Because that new kid is holding up pretty well. Even though I used a slight fear charm, he held his ground. I'm curious. Even that Springfield brat quakes slightly in my presence." Evangeline's eyes lit up in anticipation. "This little shopping trip might prove to be fun after all…"

Chachamaru looked from her master to the door behind which the youth had disappeared. "Are you sure master? I detected high adrenaline levels in him. He may yet run."

"Then it would be another victory for me. Either way, this trip isn't going to be a waste of time."

Barely a minute later, Luke's head popped up from behind the door. "Erm, excuse me miss, but are you searching for any specific hand? Right, left, caucasian, oriental, for example?"

Evangeline blanched in surprise. "W-w-what?"

Luke blinked. "Something wrong?"

_Damn, this kid's toying with me?!_ thought the Dark Evangel furiously. _How dare he!!_

Aloud though, she simply replied, "Any will do."

Luke nodded then ducked behind the door again.

Chachamaru turned to her master again. "Master, are you alright master? I detect your blood pressure rising, and your body heat has increased as well-"

"Shut up! That kid is starting to annoy me. He dares to mock me?!"

The robot looked at the young-looking girl. "Master?" she asked, puzzled.

"I said, shut up!"

* * *

Luke was breathing hard now. _Aw crap, I shouldn't have tried to be a smart alec! She might get proper angry now! _Deciding he'd pushed his luck for the day, he busied himself gathering the items. _A vial of raven's blood. That would be under the elixir section. Check. A poisoned dagger? Artefacts. Check. Hmmmm, a hand? Erm…body parts. _Luke stopped suddenly as he replayed his thoughts. _OK, how come I've never wondered about why the hell we stock such things anyway?! _He could answer that easily enough. _Welcome to Mahora, please leave your sanity at the door thank you_ he thought grimly. After all, Mahora was hardly a normal academy. Sighing at the endless list of shocking things he had learnt there already, he carried the items to the front counter.

"Sorry for the delay," apologised the blonde youth, smiling. Evangeline, who had by now used her strongest fear charm to make herself seem more horrific, was visibly quaking in anger.

"Thank. You." She hissed through clenched teeth. _DAMN, WHY DOESN'T HE AT LEAST SHIVER?!_

"Is there anything else?" he asked politely.

"No, that is all. Thank you for your help," stepped in Chachamaru, gathering up the items. She placed them in a bag she had brought especially for them, and paid the smiling youth. Without further comment, she turned and dragged her master out the front door. As soon as they left, Luke collapsed onto the counter and cried in relief. _I'm still alive! I'M STILL ALIVE!!_

* * *

"Come master. You are unwell. I shall make you some tea when we return to the cottage," said Chachamaru emotionlessly, as she dragged the thrashing Evangeline back to their home.

"Just let me bite that smart-ass git! I'll suck him dry! You hear me?!" screeched the enraged vampire. "I'll make him wish he was never born! Just let me at him!"

Chachamaru paid her no heed, reasoning that allowing Evangeline to wreak bloody vengeance on the new teen in his first week wouldn't help matters.

"Let me go you stupid robot! I'm gong to get him, you hear me? No one makes fun of the Dark Evangel! NO ONE!!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Gossip Squad**

Kazumi sat at her table in class, fuming. Opposite her was Haruna, twitching in anger. They looked at each other, boiling in fury.

"Damn them," said Kazumi eventually.

"Damn all five of them," hissed Haruna. "How dare they make fools of us! With one act they tarnished our impeccable reputations!"

Kazumi nodded in agreement. "Vengeance is in order, but what do we do? In case you've forgotten, Kaede's a ninja. As for the trio, well, you can't harm them, their slates are clean."

Haruna looked up evilly. "Guess that leaves…"

"…Luke then," finished Kazumi, smiling deviously as the gears in her head began to work.

* * *

Luke was sure the day couldn't get any worse. After Miss McDowell was dragged form the shop, he could well see he had angered the small vampire. _Of all the rotten luck. Why me?! I've offended a vampiric master criminal with her own army of dolls no less. Oh, and Kotaro is still trying to release my "inner power." If he doesn't knock it off, I'll show him some inner power alright! _Luke groaned in frustration and banged his head on the counter. _If anyone is listening to me up there, please let me get through the day without further incident! _The doorbell chimed. Looking up, Luke moaned in relief. Looks like his prayer had been answered after all.

"You ok?" asked Mr Izashima, seeing the pale youth.

"Barely. That vamp-" _Manners! _"-Miss McDowell was here a minute ago."

"Oh? Well, I'm sure it wasn't anything to worry about. I mean, you're still here after all, right?"

Luke gaped at him in horror. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" he nearly screeched.

Mr Izashima chuckled. "Well, it's a sort of game between me and Evangeline. Whenever I hire a new worker, she tries to scare him off. Usually she succeeds but it seems as if you're made from sterner stuff…"

Luke was now as white as a sheet. "W-why the heck did you involve me in this?! Do you have any idea what that girl has done in the past?! She could've torn me apart!"

"Ah. Well I didn't consider that…"

Luke clenched his fists as his fear was replaced with fury. "It's. Fine," he hissed between his teeth. "May. I. Be. Excused?"

The older man nodded. Pausing only long enough to grab his bag Luke sprinted outside before he exploded. Mr Izashima shook his head in amusement. The new guy was so…entertaining.

* * *

"There he is!" whispered Kazumi.

"You sure?" queried Haruna.

"How many blonde boys do you know who mutter in English?" retorted Kazumi.

Haruna stuck her tongue out in return.

Sighing, Kazumi turned her attention back to the cursing youth. "Ok, you know what to do?"

The black haired girl rolled her eyes. "Noooo, I forgot. My memory isn't what it used to be."

Kazumi simply glanced at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Yes, of course I know what to do! I'm not an idiot!" barked Haruna.

Shaking her head, Kazumi signalled Haruna to begin.

* * *

Luke was halfway back to the door when someone collided with him. _Christ, I was hoping for a normal day and I get…_ he thought for a moment. _A normal day_ he finished ruefully. It was sort of lame, that a normal day for him included getting attacked by Kotaro, annoying one of the girls in some way or another, running all over the place, helping Mr Izashima and getting injured in pointless accidents. _Was I cursed at birth or something?! _

"Dummy! Stop zoning out and help me out!" he heard an irate voice say.

"Sorry," he mumbled, turning. He was greeted with the sight of Haruna sitting on the ground, rubbing her forehead. He felt his insides go cold. _Oh great. The rumour monger extraordinaire. _He helped her back onto her feet.

"Thanks," she remarked, dusting her self off. She looked at him, one of her trademark glints in her eye. The evil one. "Where are you rushing off to so early anyway?"

She was obviously plotting something. That much was evident. But after a tiring day, Luke simply did not care. He just shrugged and answered. "Back to the dorm. It's been a long day, and frankly, I'm tired."

Haruna pouted. "Oh, now where's the fun in that? Now is when Mahora truly comes to life! Come on, I'll prove it to you!" she said, grabbing his arm and steering him towards town. Luke was too lost in thought to truly register this.

_Great. Looks like she isn't mad over the whole rumour business. That could have been bad. But still, why is she taking me to town? Honestly, if the girls want male attention, why not go to the boys dorms once in a while? Why is it always Negi, Kotaro and now me?! _Gently, he shook his hand free from Haruna's grip. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm feeling rather tired. Perhaps another day, hm?" Without waiting for an answer, Luke spun on his heel and pelted away towards the dorm.

Haruna grinned as the youth ran off, studying her right hand intently. The one that Luke had held when helping her up. Carefully, she wiped it on a towel before placing the towel in a plastic bag. Brimming in excitement, she ran over to Kazumi's hiding place.

* * *

"Where were you?" cried the twins in unison, pouncing on Luke as soon as he crossed the threshold. Barely managing a yelp, he crashed onto the floor as the two bundles of energy hurled into him. He sat up, trying to breathe. The two girls were holding onto his neck as if it was the most precious thing in the world. He managed to pry them off before suffocating, and just sat on the floor for a minute, regaining his composure.

"What was that?!" he finally gasped.

The Nautaki twins simply smiled sweetly. "We missed you, that's all!" they replied in unison.

"Yeah right," continued Luke, feeling the back of his neck. "Then what's this?"

He held out a tiny microphone, no larger than a button, which had been stuck onto the back of his shirt. The twins glanced at each other, and with a cry, ran past the youth into the hallway. Crushing the bug in his palm, Luke sighed in exhaustion. This was starting to become routine. He stood up and flopped down on the couch. _God today was long. Why must every single day be another adventure? I didn't want this! I just want my memory! _He continued his grumbling even when sleep claimed him.

* * *

"Kazumi, I'm worried," said Haruna suddenly.

"Huh?" grunted Kazumi, too preoccupied with her task to fully pay attention.

"You know that Luke said his surname was Mason, right?"

"Yeah, what of it?" mumbled the red head, peering at the computer screen.

"Well, if I have someone's name and I know what they look like, I should be able to make a copy of them using my pactio."

"And?" replied Kazumi, hitting the monitor in frustration. "Hurry up you damn thing!"

"Well, I can't make a copy of Luke."

It took Kazumi a second to digest this revelation. She spun around and looked at Haruna. "What?!"

The long haired girl nodded gravely. "I can't make copies of him! And I spelt his name right and everything! That only leaves one alternative…"

"It's a fake name," breathed Kazumi. Fake names weren't exactly rare, but normally one knew their own real name. From the looks of things, Luke didn't. Both girls glanced at each other, their faces a mixture of worry and excitement. Worry, for who Luke might be, and excitement, for discovering a way of regaining their reputation without resorting to childish pranks. Kazumi smiled cunningly as she turned back to the computer, and began typing.

"This could become really interesting.,.."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Hacker Showdown**

Another day drew to a close. Alone in her room, Chisame Hasegawa was busily typing away on her laptop. _Ratings, ratings, ratings_ she thought to herself humming, checking up the latest statistics regarding popularity of sites. She allowed herself a smile of triumph as she found her own site to be ranked first in all polls. _I dominate cyberspace _she cooed to herself, her smile growing wider. She was the unparalleled master of the internet now, all thanks to one kiss with that freak kid teacher.

Then why did she still feel empty?

There was once a time when being the queen of all fan sites would have had her basking in glory. Now, it only brought a smile to her face. _Urgh, what's wrong with me?! _she thought disgustedly. _Ever since the whole Mahorafest, I haven't been myself…_

Her eyes suddenly lit up as she realized something. _Perhaps…perhaps I'm feeling a lack of achievement? Becoming the internet's number one was almost too easy with that Pactio. Perhaps I feel empty because I feel as if I cheated…?_

Her musings were interrupted by two things occurring simultaneously. The first was a soft chime, signalling the arrival of an email. The other was a harsh knock on her door. She turned around on her seat, mostly in annoyance at being distracted from her deep thinking, but a part of her was curious as to who could be knocking on her door at this time of the day. With an irate huff, she walked over to her door and opened it. She had expected one of the resident freaks, asking her for help with some kind of electronical device, and already had a suitable answer planned. However, she hadn't been expecting a tall, blonde sixteen year old male with piercing hazel eyes. She simple gawked at him for a second. The youth smiled sheepishly.

"H-hello Miss Hasegawa. May I stay in your dorm for the night please?"

That snapped her back to reality. "What?! No! Get lost you pervert!" she shouted back at him, slamming the door in his face. Honestly. What the hell was up with this place? Just when she thought it couldn't get any weirder…

Luke stood outside Miss Hasegawa's room, staring at her door dumbfounded. _O.K. That didn't go as planned. I can accept the no, but the pervert?! What's up with that? _

Shrugging, he knocked again.

"What do you want?!" snapped the orange haired girl, opening the door a fraction.

"No need to get cold," replied Luke politely. "I'm just enquiring if I may stay here for a while."

"Who are you anyway?" she suddenly queried, studying him closely. "You're not one of my - I mean, some girl's rabid fan trying to hunt her down?"

Luke's eyebrows shot up. "What?! How could you think that? I am a proper born and bred gentleman! I am above such petty concepts as stalking!"

The gentleman phrase made something in the young girl's head click. "Oh, it's you," she said eventually in a bored voice. Another one of the freaks. A new one too. _God almighty, they've begun multiplying! _she thought in horror.

He coughed politely. "Erm, well, can I sleep in your dorm tonight?" he asked in embarrassment. He began to study his shoes in great detail.

"Aren't you staying with Kaede and the twins?" She said, realising the potential problems with living with two sources of inexhaustible energy.

"Well, slight differences in opinion arose over a certain subject, and I decided to vacate the premises before anything could get worse," answered Luke. He smiled shyly at her. "So may I stay here for the night please?"

"Wait, what kind of misunderstanding would have you fleeing the dorm?"

"Ah, well, it's nothing important, just a safety precaution to be honest."

"Safety from what?"

"Miss Nagase's throwing knives."

"What did you do?" asked Chisame, her curiosity piqued despite her usual nature.

"Let's not dwell on that, can I stay here?" asked Luke, slightly red.

"Why not go to the other girls?" asked the girl, slowly growing frustrated.

"They aren't exactly welcoming to my presence now," he lied. It was better than saying that there was a good chance of him getting throttled in his sleep for tricking them with the whole death thing.

"Then why should I let you sleep here?" she retorted, her eyebrow twitching.

"Well, you do something for me; I'll do something for you."

"What?"

Smiling slightly he leant in close. "So what do you say, Chiu?" he whispered in her ear.

Chisame Hasegawa froze. "What? How…?" she breathed.

"I'll tell you inside," he said slightly louder now, pushing the door open and walking past the shocked girl. Humming to himself he went over to the couch and flopped down onto it. Glancing about he commented, "Nice room, really cosy. Thank you for letting me stay here by the way."

Chisame was still shocked by the Chiu reference she had heard. All of a sudden she sprang into action. She slammed and bolted the door, then sprang on Luke and grabbed him by the collar. Shaking him vigorously, she asked frantically, "How much do you know?! How do you know?! Who told you? Was it that Negi?! That little brat promised not to tell!"

Luke managed to stammer out an answer in between shakes. "I…found out…on my own…Gah!"

She released him and sitting back, panting slightly, she asked, "So you haven't told anyone?"

"Nope," Luke answered promptly, before smirking. "By the way, do you mind getting off me? Not that I mind, but it goes against my code of conduct as a gentleman."

Chisame's face suddenly turned red as she realised she was sitting on the youth's lap.

"Or do you like it?" he queried, still smiling.

THWACK

"Perhaps not," he muttered, rubbing the red palm print that had appeared suddenly on his face. Miss Hasegawa had returned to her laptop in the meantime, cursing under her breath.

"Well what did you expect? I'm a healthy teenage male!" he said from the sofa, reclining. With a sigh he added, "Don't worry, I was only joking. I am a proper gentleman, so that sort of thing wouldn't cross my mind, except in jest."

"Shut up!" snarled the girl. "Just stay there and shut up!"

Luke shrugged, glad he had found a place to stay. It made a refreshing change from his bench in the park near the world tree.

Finally free from distractions, Chisame opened the email she had just received. Her chronic eyebrow twitched surfaced again. There was a message attached to a photo of Luke. _God, I'm really beginning to hate that guy…_

Making sure the youth wasn't watching her, she scanned the contents of the message. Her eyes went wide. _Mystery person? Probable spy? What the..? _She reread the message in detail. _Fake name? The hell...!?_ She glanced at the blonde boy dozing on her couch. _Hah, don't make me laugh. Probably Kazumi stirring up trouble again. Oh, she even sent a notice to missing persons with a description. Honestly, that girl doesn't know when to stop. _She snorted in derision and deleted the message.

* * *

At approximately the same time, somewhere, a lone figure finally discovered something. Curious, the being opened up the information it had stumbled across and scrolled down the never ending list of figures. The light from the monitor, the only around, gave birth to nightmarish shadows as the Seeker leaned closer to the screen, sniffing it, as if to pick up a scent. The cursor scrolled over onto the link, and read the description there. There was a sudden harsh sound, as if two sheets of corrugated metal were being dragged across each other. The page scrolled down until the contact number was reached. Another harsh metallic sound filled the chamber. Initiating its own program, the Seeker began the hunt. Whilst this prey was not of flesh and blood, it was no less sweeter.

* * *

"So…do you live alone here?" ventured Luke after a minute of tense silence.

Chisame threw him a dirty look, but having nothing else to do, decided to humour her…guest. _Hmph, first time having a guest. Might as well see what happens._ "Yes," she answered flatly.

"I, uh…" Luke considered his next words with care. "I suppose you aren't exactly the sociable type, are you?"

"Should I be?" snapped back the orange haired girl.

"Perhaps," answered Luke slowly. This conversation was slowly turning into a match of words. "You could be surprised."

"By what? The sheer idocity of others?" sniggered Chisame.

"Or by how interesting they are," riposted the blonde boy.

Chisame glanced at him. He was lying on his side, facing her.

"Can you guarantee that?" she countered.

"Nope," replied Luke cheerfully. "Nothing can be guaranteed. That's what makes it interesting. You never know who you may end up meeting."

Chisame rolled her eyes. "That's also what makes it a waste of time. I know my class, and they are not the type of company I prefer."

"What kind would you prefer then?"

That simple question caught her off-guard. The girl paused and considered her answer.

"I would prefer normal people, rather than the freaks in my class."

Luke sat up, and leaning back, asked casually. "Define normal for me, if you don't mind."

The pony tailed girl thought for another moment. "Well, I suppose someone who has no connections to magic, or to fighting. Someone who worries about stuff that regular fifteen year old girls should worry about, like, I don't know, school dances, boys, music. Stuff like that."

"But your classmates do worry about that. Well, most of them anyway."

"But they also worry about stuff like magic! I mean, normal people don't even know about it!"

"Doesn't mean they aren't affected by it," argued Luke quietly. "Besides, many people would gladly switch places with you, just to have a taste of magical life."

"Then they should!" snapped Chisame, irritated. "I didn't ask for this! I was forced into it by circumstance! I would have happily lived my life in a normal school rather than this zoo!"

Though he wouldn't admit it, Luke was enjoying this. This conversation was a refreshing change from the usual. "But you can have one here. There are over a hundred teens here living normal lives, ignorant of magic…despite, ah, recent occurrences." He had read about the Mahorafest incident. Whilst catastrophe had been avoided. Luke felt as if Miss Lingshen had had a point. _Perhaps revealing magic would be the best thing for the world…?_ The youth shook his head. _And since when do I care about that? My only concern is the world tree. _He glanced up at Miss Hasegawa. She seemed to be considering a reply to his argument. Luke grinned in anticipation of how the conversation may turn out. Just then, a warning chime sounded from the laptop.

* * *

The Seeker had been detected. It cursed, the cold metallic voice echoing in the chamber. Almost instantaneously, it switched programs from intrusion to download. Whilst it had hoped to access the mainframe, it looked like the small system on the fringe would have to do. It was the only one without any sort of barrier to keep the Seeker out, and could always be used as a relay to access the mainframe later on.

* * *

"Damn you! You kept me distracted!" cursed Chisame, frantically typing away on her laptop.

Luke was still sitting on the couch, arms behind his head, smiling apologetically. "I don't really know what's going on, but sorry."

"You better well be! Someone's hacking into my system!" Chisame shouted.

That got his attention. Springing from the couch he strode over to her. Leaning over Miss Hasegawa's shoulder, he stared at the screen. "Now that's not good," he whispered.

"Of course it bloody isn't! All my personal info is stored on this thing! If someone hacks it they can…they can…" _Destroy my site! Assume my identity! No way am I letting either of those two happen! _

Luke was looking puzzled now. "Whoever it is, they seem more interested in downloading your files than deleting them."

Chisame looked at the screen in horror. Sure enough, data was flashing up, with a small icon denoting download. _No, no, no, no, no! If this continues, some crazed hacker will know my Chiu identity! He'll blackmail me into doing all kinds of strange stuff! _

Luke suddenly tightened his grip on back of the seat. His eyes were wide and he had turned as white as a sheet. "Oh no," he breathed.

Chisame glanced from him, to the data being downloaded. She felt her pulse begin to quicken. Almost all of the data was linked. By one word.

_Magic_

Her files about the fighting tournament, the Mahorafest incident, her online diary extracts concerning that brat and his freak show…it was all being targeted. At first, she thought it was just someone hacking into her system. Now it was a serious matter. She had been warned of the consequences of revealing magic, heck, she had seen the consequences of that!

"Guess we have no choice then," she hissed through clenched teeth.

Luke saw her pull out a Pactio card. "Wait, what are you-" he started.

"Adeat!"

* * *

A hazard signal flickered on the screen. The Seeker hissed in annoyance. This was taking too long, and even now protection programs were trying to block access. Then two rogue codes appeared. Yet these were no fragments of programming, yet something else. Their scent was new to it. Intrigued, and glad for the excuse, the Seeker entered cyberspace.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Opening Moves**

"Look, I apologised for the innuendo thing, but did I really deserve this?" asked Luke in a bored voice. He had given up on arguing his fate a while back. If he was destined to forever end up in messes like this, so be it. By why must it always be with girls?

Chisame Hasegawa turned around and glared at him. "Look, shut up. I don't want you here either. It's not my fault my Pactio dragged you in as well. If you're not going to help, just stay there and shut it!"

Luke sighed in exasperation, and sat down. They were underwater, surrounded by shoals of fish. Somehow, it didn't look anything like cyberspace to Luke. Then again, he hadn't expected a magical artefact to suck him into a laptop, so he guessed that some preconceptions turned out false. He glanced about; idly watching several striped fish swim by. "So…what are you looking for?"

"A foreign code. That's how the hacker acquired access," snarled Chisame.

"Hmmm, foreign code, ok. Erm, what does that look like?"

She looked at him in annoyance. "Each computer's version of cyberspace is different. It reflects the user. As you see, mine is aquatic, though I don't know why."

Luke's face brightened as he caught on. "So we are looking for something that doesn't fit into an aquatic environment?"

The orange haired girl sighed, calming herself. "Yes."

Luke jumped up and started looking around. "Ok, ok. Doesn't fit in…doesn't fit in…" he murmured to himself glancing around the plateau on which they were standing. "Oh by the way, what do I do once I locate one of these codes?"

"You fight it and destroy it," replied Chisame flatly. She had learned that during several virus attacks whilst improving her web page.

"Oh, ok. Erm, can we actually be like…you know…properly harmed whilst here?"

"Most likely," answered Chisame, looking around now as well.

"Ah," he replied, suddenly losing his enthusiasm for the search. "Well, how are we men to fight it? I mean, we don't exactly have weapons…"

"Get some then!" retorted the girl. "Honestly, are you stupid or something?"

"Hahaha. Not really. Ok, I choose weapons, how?"

"Just take a browse and select the right program," answered the annoyed girl.

"Oh, ok. How?"

Frustrated, Chisame summoned a directory of all her files on the laptop and hurled it at the blonde youth. He caught it easily and began flipping through the pages. "Miss Hasegawa, why do you have weapons in your directory?"

She shrugged in response. "I thought they might in useful if I encountered another Destructo virus."

Luke nodded as if the previous statement had made some sense to him. Bored of studying various firearms, he flipped on and engaged the search program. On impulse he typed in several words, and was greeted with some links. Smiling now he began checking each one.

"Oh, by the way Miss Hasegawa, how did you change your clothing so fast?"

Chisame looked at him as if he was a particularly slow student of hers. "I altered my avatar by combining its code with that of the appearance I wanted."

Luke's eyes sparkled. "So do you essentially become what your avatar looks like? I mean, do you get powers and stuff like that?"

"Yes, now hurry up and make yourself useful!"

"Yes ma'am!" he answered promptly, looking at the page he had opened in great detail. He smiled. "Ok, got it. How do I alter?"

"Select modify you idiot. Now hurry up, we have to find the breach and enough time has already been wasted!"

Luke smirked. "A need for speed, eh? Well I have the perfect tool to hasten our search…"

Chisame walked up to him. She took a deep breath to calm herself, failed, and exploded. "STOP GLOATING YOU IDIOT AND HURRY UP!!"

Luke shrank back. "Yes ma'am." _God, she's scary when angry…_

* * *

The Seeker surveyed the programs. All were of its own crafting. What they lacked in strength they made up for in numbers. The Seeker raised a metallic claw. It enjoyed this avatar. It reminded the Seeker of itself. Cold, amoral, supreme. A metallic chuckle reverberated within its reinforced chest. Its army turned as they received the signal. Without a sound, they began marching towards the breach. It was a fairly easy ploy. Flood the enemy OS with foreign programs until the OS was forced to reconfigure in order to maintain efficiency. It would reconfigure into a system most suited to running the foreign programs. That is when the Seeker would gain control over it, and all information stored within. This hunt was starting to get interesting…

* * *

"Brat, I have a question."

"Ma'am, please don't call me brat. I have a name."

"Fine. Luke. I have a question."

"Fire away."

"Why?" asked Chisame, her eyebrow twitching once more. _Damn males and their toys…_

"Erm, well I might never get a second chance at this so I thought "what the hell?""

"But a fighter jet?!"

They were currently skimming over the ground at breakneck speed. Chisame was sitting towards the back of the cockpit, rubbing her temples in frustration. _Just like that brat is so mature sometimes, this guy can be so immature…_ She looked at the display before her. It was a radar screen, with several green blips passing through its reach before being left behind as the plane flew on.

"Anything yet?" she heard Luke ask, his voice distorted as if speaking through several phones simultaneously.

"No, keep going," the girl reported back. "We must have searched over fifty percent of my hard drive by now…"

She could feel, rather than see Luke smirking. "See? I told you this was a good idea. Nothing beats an F-22 Raptor when it comes to speed."

"Say what you want. At the end of the day, you're still a child in my eyes," replied Chisame coldly.

"Aw, why?!"

"Because instead of downloading one and choosing to pilot it-"

"Excuse me! I am piloting!"

"But not in person!" snapped Chisame, hitting the display in front of her angrily.

"OW!"

"Oh come on! How could you feel that?!"

"Because I just happen to be the thing you're hitting!"

"Serves you right for being so childish!"

Luke's face popped up in front of her. He frowned. "Miss Hasegawa, if we are to finish this task quickly, I don't think we should be bickering like this."

Chisame grinned. "Finally! Some maturity!"

Luke simply gaped at her. Then with a sigh he vanished. She looked at the radar screen again. Still nothing. Chisame couldn't repress a sigh of her own. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Sir, surveyors report two unknown codes incoming," a droid spoke up suddenly. The Seeker turned around, hissing in annoyance. With several quick gestures, it dispatched several of its swiftest counter programs to intercept. No distractions would be tolerated. The information had to be seized before time ran out.

* * *

Luke swore suddenly.

"What is it?" asked Chisame. She could detect the undertone of fear in his voice.

"Looks like we've found out where the enemy is massing."

Chisame's eyes went wide. In front of her, the aquatic environment simply ceased to be. It was as if it was being held back by an invisible wall. Behind that, she could make out some sort of city. High rise towers soared into the sky, and the roads were stuffed full of foreign programs. They appeared human, but only in shape. They were far too thin, and the heads were the wrong shape too. Also, their discipline was terrifying. They marched in perfect sync. Each step timed to perfection. It scared her. The sound of a thousand feet crashing into the ground at the same time.

"We are in MAJOR trouble," breathed Luke, his electronically distorted voice full of fear.

"He's trying to reconfigure my computer! That bastard!" cursed the orange hair girl, clenching her fists in anger.

"Ok, so how do we stop him?"

Chisame growled her answer. "First of all, he needs to have some sort of relay post here, that's why he still has a connection despite my firewall. Also, crashing his system should give us enough time to break the link."

"Ok, so you can do that."

"What?! Why me?!" she cried out in anger.

"Oh, so you'd prefer to draw their fire instead?"

Chisame snorted. "That's uncharacteristically heroic of you."

"Well, I have no idea how to do all the stuff you just said, so I might as well run in circles with them following me."

Chisame sighed. "You know that any injury here will be inflicted on you when we return right?"

"Yes. Still, I'd rather be injured than turned into an ermine," he answered.

Chisame blanched. "W-w-what?!"

"You didn't know? If it's your fault for revealing magic, you get turned into an ermine."

She paled slightly. "So that's why you're willing to risk your neck? So we don't turn into vermin?"

"Yes, now where is that relay?"

"Well, as it's a city, I suppose a massive radar dish should be it."

"Ok, then get ready for a rough ride. We're going in!"

Chisame yelped as she was flattened against her seat. The jet increased its velocity to maximum, and hurled out of the water into the air above the cityscape. Three dark shapes leapt of a nearby tower and immediately gave chase.

* * *

"Enemy has entered the system," reported a droid flatly. The Seeker screeched in fury. In a single fluid movement, it drew its blade and struck down the offending program. With a cold hiss, the avatar leapt from the relay post, crashing down onto the ground, over ten stories below. Its eyes wide in anger, it began to scan the surrounding area. Whatever these enemies were, they would be dealt with personally!

* * *

"Holy shi-" began Luke, an explosion rocking the plane.

Chisame cried out in fear and ducked down, wrapping her arms around her head. _She won't last much longer _thought Luke in concern. He could withstand the pressures forced upon him by the extreme manoeuvres he was doing, but Miss Hasegawa couldn't. He felt his resolve harden.

"Ma'am, get ready for deployment."

"W-w-what?!" she managed to query, her voice trembling.

"I'm getting you off!" he shouted back, spinning the plane sharply to avoid incoming fire. "Hold together! We must do this!"

"Since when are you so fine with this?!"

"I don't have a choice! I panic, I die! Now this is as far as I can take you! You'll have to sneak to the relay post on your own!"

"What about you?" she asked, her pulse quickening.

"I'll draw them off! When you're done, signal me and I'll extract you!" he cried back.

"O-o-ok," she answered, steeling herself.

"Good luck," whispered Luke.

"You too," replied the girl.

With a clang, the cockpit opened. Air was blowing past and Chisame felt herself being crushed. With a lurch, the jet turned upside down. With a clang, she unhooked her harness and dropped out. She fell hard onto the roof of one of the buildings, rolling into cover to escape the searching eyes of the interceptors.

With a loud blast, the fighter shot off, the dark shapes still in pursuit.

She watched them fly into the sky, away from sight.

* * *

_Well, that's the easy part taken care of. Now for the dangerous bit…_

Pushing himself to the limit, Luke flew up. The metal groaned as the G forces took their toll. The interceptors chased him. Luke cursed under his breath. Whoever this hacker was, he obviously enjoyed sci-fi films. The Droid Fighters behind him opened fire as he crossed their sight. A metal plate buckled under the strain. With a screech, the jet broke the sound barrier as it completed its loop the loop. Luke laughed manically as he opened fire. Machine guns rattled as he showered his pursuers with bullets from behind. Just like a computer game. Might as well enjoy it! One of the enemy interceptors simply exploded into tiny fragments. The second began trailing smoke and fell towards the sprawling metropolis below. The third successfully managed a roll, avoiding most of the fire heading its way. Luke hissed in anger. He disliked putting his life on the line. He still needed to regain his memory after all. But he didn't want to turn into an ermine either. The youth refused to even think about how he would go about recovering his memory as an ermine. _That would be just adding insult to injury_ he thought bitterly. He thanked that fortune had chosen instead to bless him. If this was the real world, he would have died a while back. But here, in this virtual reality, he could fight back! All his rage would be vented on these mindless drones! He only prayed that Miss Hasegawa would be able to make it to the relay in one piece.

* * *

This was interesting. The foreign codes had successfully incapacitated two interceptors. A worthy foe. Finally. The Seeker was growing tired of butchering any anti-virus programs that crossed its path. A smile spread on its face.

"Open communications."

* * *

Chisame ran down the street. It was deserted. Good thing too. She doubted she would be able to handle those robot things if any decided to show up. Still, it looked like that new guy was keeping up his end of the bargain. _I hope he doesn't do anything rash_ she thought worriedly. It wasn't as if she cared about him, oh no. She just didn't want anyone's blood on her hands. All of a sudden, all the screens around her flickered. A metallic face appeared on all of them. It was a skull mask with no lower jaw, just several vertical slits where a mouth would be. The eyes of the…thing were surprisingly human. Soft and yellow. But they seemed to be glaring right at her. She shivered and continued making her way towards the massive radar dish in the distance.

The face on the monitors spoke.

"I know you're there. I know you can hear me. Know this: you intrigue me. Your combat skills interest me, and so I give you a challenge. Defeat me, and I'll let you live. Lose, you both die."

"Both?!" said Chisame, her eyes widening.

"Yes, both of you. Now, Chiu, lets see if your friend accepts. If he does, I'll let you go about your panic stricken business. If he doesn't, you die." The face hacked a laugh, cold and emotionless. Chisame glanced about in fear. "You'd better run. If you want t reach the relay on time." The face laughed again.

* * *

Up in the sky, Luke growled in anger. _This guy watches too many movies. I mean, honestly, General Grievous as an avatar?! Also, that speech was so cliché. And worst of all, he actually threatened Miss Hasegawa! As a gentleman, I cannot forgive him! He will pay for that!_ He altered his course and flew towards the source of the message before he could reconsider. Suddenly, Luke chuckled. _Well, I suppose I watch a bit too much TV too, considering my avatar choice…_

He laughed openly as he realised exactly what was going to happen next. _Worlds collide. Heh, well, lets see which mechanical is stronger then! _


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Mechanical Crossover**

_He's going to do something stupid_ thought an orange haired girl for the umpteenth time, running through abandoned streets in a derelict metropolis. Chisame Hasegawa did not like the way this was turning out. First of all, someone hacking into her laptop. Fair enough, happens from time to time. She reacted normally, using her artefact to get to the bottom of the security breach.

Unfortunately, that boy had been sucked in too. That's when it all went to hell. Before she knew it, he had made himself into a fighter jet and carried her away through half her CPU in less than five minutes. Then they encountered the security breach. This city. Of course, being the oh-so-nice-British-gentleman that he was, he unceremoniously dumped her on a rooftop before flying off to cause some havoc, or as he put it, draw the enemy's attention away. And as if that wasn't enough, it turned out the enemy hacker could enter cyberspace as well!

His avatar was as ugly as hell though. Some sort of robot Chisame guessed. He had issued a direct challenge to Luke, saying that he had impressed him with his combat prowess. Then, well, if Luke agreed, she had probably about ten minutes to fix this mess. If he did the smart thing and refused, she would have more like three. She groaned at the thought of her fate in the hands of an immature sixteen year old who had turned himself into a jet plane. _And I thought that Negi brat was weird…_

* * *

At around the same time, Luke, the youth-turned-jet-fighter was hurtling in between buildings at extreme speed. That message was slowly starting to eat away at him. The hacker had shown nothing but considerable skill so far when it came to technological devices. He had tracked down Miss Hasegawa within minutes, even though he was the larger and easier to track of the two. Also, as long as Luke accepted the challenge, the hacker, or Grievous as he had started calling him, wouldn't try to stop the girl form completing her task. That would make it easier for her. A lot. But on the other hand it would involve breaking one of the cardinal rules which had kept him alive for so long. Never endanger your life.

Luke sighed. It sounded like a car engine backfiring. He cringed inside. _Eh, maybe this wasn't the best idea after all…_ He snapped out of his daydream and turned to the matter at hand. _Right my choices are: refuse challenge and hope Miss Hasegawa makes it, and if she doesn't be trapped here forever, or accept the challenge and hope she finishes her task before I get killed. _Luke felt like screaming. There was NO choice. He didn't want to remain as a jet for the rest of his existence! With an inward groan, he flew on towards Grievous. He only hoped that the avatar was exactly what he had ordered when searching through several information sites…

* * *

The Seeker stood alone. The street stretched in front of him into the gloom. All around there were derelict buildings. Windows boarded up, signs hanging and doors shattered. Decay. This is what happened to unneeded programs once they were converted into his Operating System. They were left to rot and decay. But all this space was simply begging to be used. The Seeker hacked a laugh. This avatar could use some improvement still. The vocal chords weren't working as they should and manual breathing was also a chore.

However, when it came to battling, this was the finest choice he could've made. Ever since a casual search for new avatars had turned up this discovery, the Seeker had become unparalleled in cyber combat. The enemy never knew what hit them before it was too late. The same would happen here. Although fighting a vehicle would be a new and interesting experience. The Seeker smiled in anticipation beneath his steel mask. His enhanced hearing could already pick up the slight whistling sound in the air. His breathing apparatus detected the scent of burning fuel. His eyes made out the small speck heading directly at him, far too fast to be the jet…

_What the…?_

The Seeker's eyes went wide as missile hit its target.

* * *

Chisame sprinted down the abandoned road, old, run down buildings passing her in the blink of an eye. Panting heavily, she glanced about frantically. She had heard the explosion. That could only mean that fool had accepted the challenge. Idiot. He had no chance against an experienced hacker. She would have to act fast. Spotting the radar dish a bit ahead of her, she charged towards it, hoping it denoted the location of the relay. Once there, she would have to shut down the breach, cut off the hacker's power supply and stop the transfer of information. The girl looked at the timer she had set up as soon as she had entered cyberspace. Barely ten minutes left before her laptop would be stripped of all defences, allowing the intruder to steal all the data contained within it. Full of fear and panic, she continued running down the eerie avenue of dead structures.

* * *

The blast rocked the street. Boarded up windows exploded inwards, signs were hurled in all directions. The buildings nearest the impact zone were buffeted violently, dislodging the upper floors. The dust cloud from the explosion obscured the entire area, impenetrable to all. Barely a second later, the F-22 shrieked overhead. The cackling of its engines was drowned out by the noise of the devastation still being wrought by the missile it had fired. Luke would have smiled if he could. _Well, I guess that sorts out the challenge. Heh, I thought it would be a lot harder…_ He smirked inwardly as he turned the plane for another pass over the blitzed street. His inner smirk vanished when the dust began to settle. Through the cloud, he could make out four small poles. Glowing. Grievous' lightsabres. Now full of fear, Luke pulled the jet up, away from the street, as the glowing blades leapt to meet him.

The glowing blades embedded themselves in the nose of the Raptor. The machine screamed in pain. With a harsh metallic shriek, the hacker's avatar dug its claws into the planes nose. Hissing coldly, Grievous deactivated his blades and punched inwards into the structure of the vehicle. The wind rushed past him, whistling as it passed through the skeletal figure of the cyborg. Roaring in anger, he clambered towards the cockpit. His grip on the metal innards of the jet tightened as he felt it accelerate and begin to spin, trying to dislodge him.

Not a chance. The magnetic clamps on the limbs of this avatar provided enough grip to stay latched on to the doomed plane. With powerful blows, the Grievous avatar reached the cockpit. Relishing the look of horror on the pilot's face when confronted by his avatar, the Seeker laughed, the sick, metallic sound snatched away by the passing air before it could be heard. With a malicious grin, he stood and cast his baleful shadow over the cockpit. The watery eyes of the avatar glared into the cockpit, terrifying in their majesty. The glare soon turned into a look of confusion.

The cockpit was empty.

"What the..?" began the Seeker. Just then, Luke activated his avatar's true form.

* * *

"Damn!" gasped Chisame, skidding to a halt in front of the relay entrance. The Hacker was keeping his word. No programs had tried to stop her, but she had seen the robotic avatar holding onto Luke's in the distance. She would have to act fast in order to stop the youth being killed. Typing in the key code, the heavy iron door in front of her hissed open. Looking up, she was confronted with several flights of stairs. Screeching in frustration, she continued ascending. "Damn!" She pulled out her communicator and punched in the number for Luke's connection. As she continued climbing, she could only pray the blonde boy would manage to survive an encounter with a vicious avatar in the hands of a veteran hacker. She had seen what could happen when some of her security programs tried to stop him. They had been eviscerated by strange glowing blades within seconds. The programs had been state of the art, fully equipped to deal with any and all threats. If they had lasted seconds, it was a miracle Luke had survived minutes. Chisame checked her time piece again. Only seven minutes left. Beginning to cry from exhaustion, she continued pulling herself up the merciless steps. Luke wasn't answering. It looked like the miracle had ended. She felt tears running down her face from the pain. The stairs seemed eternal, and now she also had the blood of someone she barely knew on her hands. All of this in addition to revealing magic. It was over. She couldn't take it anymore. Collapsing on the stairs, she began to sob quietly. "Damn you, Luke," she whispered. "Why did you have to die, you idiot…"

* * *

"You tricky little bastard!" laughed Grievous, landing down gently on a high rise rooftop.

"Did you honestly think I would gladly be just a fighter jet?" queried Luke, hovering beyond his reach. The backwash form his engines distorted the air below him.

"Well, perhaps not, but I hardly expected this," continued the Seeker, gesturing at the metallic, simian form Luke had become.

Luke smiled before replying. "Then that oversight will cost you." He raised his gun and fired. The high calibre rounds tore into the roof, but the enemy was no longer there. Reversing the polarity of the magnets on his feet, the Grievous avatar launched itself into the sky, igniting its sabres. Descending like a mechanical hawk, Grievous spun his blades as if they belonged to a helicopter. Luke was now confronted with four glowing circles descending upon him. Moving fast, he boosted to his left, firing off a missile directly at the falling figure in the meantime. The cyborg scythed through the rocket without pause, the halves flying past him before exploding harmlessly in the sky behind him. Firing off a grappling line, Grievous yanked himself towards the larger robotic form of Luke. Leaping backwards, Luke continued firing the machine guns in his right hand. The glowing blades continued twirling, deflecting the rounds. The cyborg crashed into the robot. Luke gasped in pain as the sabres stabbed into his metallic flesh. Grievous roared in joy. This battle was proving to be very entertaining.

Snarling in pain, Luke wrenched the smaller mechanical from his chest and hurled him into a building opposite. The window smashed inwards as Grievous fell inside. The whole structure shook from the violent impact. Groaning in pain, Luke emptied his ammunition into the window through which Grievous had crashed. Machine gun rounds shredded the metallic frame of the window into dust, just before his missiles flew inside. The resulting explosion blew out all the boards sealing the windows, and flames billowed out of the concrete building. Black smoke burst out afterwards, and the whole building shook again as its innards were blasted apart. Satisfied with the distraction, Luke leapt from the rooftop, away from the devastated structure, and turned back into the F-22. With a bang, the engines engaged and hurled him away towards the relay.

Behind him, the enemy avatar exploded from the roof of the building. Still aflame, he was like a skeleton from hell. The blades were ignited, and he was panting in pure fury. Casting about for the foe, the watery yellow eyes saw the jet stream leading towards the relay. Realizing the deception, Grievous growled and gave chase, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Seeing the jet growing smaller in the distance, the Seeker decided to throw caution to the wind. Boosting the power flowing through the magnets above maximum, he once more swapped the polarity.

All of a sudden he was hurtling through the air. With a loud boom, he broke the sound barrier. The metal form screeched in torture as the metal was subjected to far too much air pressure. Joints hissed and cracked, yet the Seeker wasn't about to let such fine prey get away so soon. Just ahead, he saw the form of the plane growing closer. The city sped past around them as the gap narrowed slowly. Grievous grinned as he fired his grappling hook, watching it whistle away, attaching itself to the tail fin of the fighter.

Howling in glee, the Seeker fired the other hook at the nearest building. It embedded itself in a steel girder. With strength possible only in the cyber realm, the avatar pulled hard on both wires attached to its forearms. With a shriek, the tail fin of the jet tore off, and the girder was wrenched out of its housing. Grievous tumbled downwards towards the ground, whilst the jet twirled wildly into a building, disappearing in a cloud of shattered glass, metal and flame. With a simple spin, Grievous landed heavily on the ground, the road cracking beneath his metallic claws.

He slowly stood, debris floating down gently around him as his enhanced senses perceived the world at a faster rate. The ripped tail fin landed next to him, skidding along the broken ground like a leaf in the wind. Behind him, with a deafening clang, the metal girder embedded itself in the road, not two feet away. The Seeker watched the building in which the jet had crashed collapse inwards, burying the foe. He smiled slightly. Nothing was moving.

"You lose," he said finally, sheathing the hilts of his sabres. Turning around, he began walking back to the relay. _One rogue down, now for the other. I hope she's as much fun…_

* * *

Chisame was huddled up in a corner, crying. All this was simply too much. Whilst she had dealt with revelations regarding magic in her stride, she had never had to deal with death. Now she was responsible for Luke's demise. If she hadn't dragged him in as well he might have gone to get help from the teachers. Now he was gone, and it looked like she was going to join him soon. All around she could hear the harsh marching of the machines. They were gathering around her, hemming her in. She had failed. Despite reaching the relay with time to spare, she had failed. That stupid brat had failed to keep them busy for long enough, and also got himself killed in the bargain. That idiot. Chisame buried her face in her hands as she felt more tears burst from her eyes. There was a sudden inrush of air as something materialised in front of her. Blearily, she looked up, and was confronted with the metallic skull mask of the hacker's avatar. He laughed coldly, drawing and igniting his sabres. The metal skeleton began advancing on the cornered girl. That is when Chisame Hasegawa began to scream.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Cybernetic Rescue **

On the border between operating systems, a war was being fought. Programs struggled against viruses, losing ground all the way. Data was becoming corrupted and lost. The damage to the laptop, personified in the cyber realm, was horrifying. The charred remains of aquatic creatures littered the metropolis, and broken machine soldiers lay in pieces throughout the frontline. When a virus attacks ones computer, the response is the activation of an antidote program, and to await the result. That was how it worked in the real world. But in cyberspace, all was given form. Firewalls were massive fortresses, antivirus were sentries and soldiers. Viruses took on many forms, from strange worm-like organisms, to scuttling insects, to large metallic behemoths representing brute viruses. And in cyberspace, they warred against each other. Despite being bloodless, their conflict was no less brutal. Grappling with each other, creatures representing their users struggled for supremacy. Eels wound their way around three legged droids with blast guns for arms, whilst massive squid crushed skeletal droids with their tentacles. But for each small victory, there was a loss. Here and there shoals of programs were obliterated by massed fire. Slowly, and surely, Chisame Hasegawa's laptop was becoming more and more the property of the Seeker. Data concerning the strengths and weaknesses of every magic user she had encountered on campus was being stolen. And there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"Do you know who I am?" queried the cybernetic avatar.

Chisame managed to shake her head in between bursts of tears. She prided herself on being one of the most knowledgeable people on campus when it came to computers and the internet. She was up to date with all the latest developments, from new hardware to recently discovered viruses. She also knew a lot of hackers and professional programmers by reputation, yet this crazed freak was new to her.

"Good," continued the four-armed cyborg. "Simply seeing me is trouble enough."

Chisame looked up, into the cold, merciless yellow eyes. "W-w-what are you going to do to m-me?" she stammered out.

"You?" replied the Seeker, obviously surprised. "Nothing. I have no use for you. You're just another civilian dabbling in things far beyond your control."

"B-b-b-ut t-then wh-why did you k-k-kill Luke?"

"Luke? Is that what he calls himself? Starscream? Turned into an F-22?" asked the cyborg, leaning down to study her face. She was striking, even when grief stricken. The Seeker didn't doubt that whatever part of his humanity remained was attracted to her. Still, that path was closed to him. As were many others. His choice had been made years ago…

Snapping from his reverie, he straightened up and turned to one of the bulky, top-heavy droids guarding her.

"Keep her here. A proper interrogation will be instigated once the download is complete."

"Interrogation?" Chisame managed to ask fearfully.

The skull mask turned towards her, about to answer. Then everything exploded into shards of metal and glass.

* * *

5 minutes earlier…

* * *

"In the name of all that's holy…" began Luke. He was in pain. No, wait, that was putting it mildly. He was in a hell lot of pain. His right arm hung limply by his side, broken. Deep gauge marks were visible on the metallic torso were girders had torn into him during his crash landing. Whatever passed for blood here was leaking from a dozen tears in his armour. Overall, he looked like crap he concluded.

_Still, I'm alive. Thank god this is cyberspace. In reality I'd be so dead by now. _

He gasped as a lance of fire sped up his right side.

_Well, looks like I have little time before needing maintenance. Oh, and vehicle mode is gone beyond repair. Miss Hasegawa is in enemy hands, and its all down to me. OH GREAT!_ he screamed inside. He wasn't a damn hero! He was only sixteen! Fair enough, he had no memory, but still! Going alone against a virtual army was not something he saw himself doing.

"Are you well, Mr Mason?"

Luke jumped in shock, spinning around to confront the speaker. He laughed in relief at the sight that welcomed him. Despite this day turning into a war, and him being wounded, encountering a hacker who enjoyed star wars far too much, this had to be the most surprising thing of all. In front of him stood Chachamaru.

"Gods above! I thought this day couldn't get any stranger!" Luke laughed, the stress and fear finally getting to him. "It's good to see a familiar face in all this havoc!"

The robot girl simply stared back at him impassively. "I was led to believe that Miss Hasegawa was with you too. Where is she?"

Luke fell silent.

"Understood," said the machine emotionlessly. She spun around and began running towards the relay. Luke watched her go. He'd like to help but in his present state…

_Hang on, I can still move, right? Then, as a gentleman, I MUST help!_

Luke groaned inwardly. Why the hell he had made the choice to be a gentleman he would never know. All it had brought him so far was trouble. And now it looked like it was about to bring in a world full of hurt. Shaking his head, he struggled to regain his footing. Not giving himself time to reconsider, a tactic that had worked really well so far, he hobbled off after Miss Chachamaru, cursing his luck, his decisions, and anything else that came to mind.

* * *

It took them less time than expected to reach the relay. The building towered above them. All battle units they had encountered had been swiftly dealt with by Chachamaru. Luke made a mental note to never get on her bad side. Dealing with a ninja was bad enough, but an armoury on legs? Even he had his limits. Still, nothing of major importance happened on their journey, and now here they were, in front of the relay.

"Erm, now what?" gasped out Luke. The run had taken its toll on his wounded form. His systems were running at minimum efficiency, and his power supply was looking bleak. He needed to get out of here. Fast. As luck would have it though, for that he needed Miss Hasegawa's artefact. Typical. To reach safety he'd have to jump into the mouth of hell, figuratively.

"We rescue Miss Hasegawa, and destroy the relay," replied the taller girl, or was it robot? Luke didn't know what to call her anymore.

He sighed. "You make it sound so easy…"

"It is. I fire on the building, whilst you break in and extract Miss Hasegawa."

Luke glanced at her, then back at the building. "Right. Now, excuse me but-"

"I am armed with enough missiles to demolish this structure without difficulty, and the student is on floor twenty-five," answered the girl before Luke could ask.

"OK, I'll do it. What do we do after that?"

"Leave."

"Best thing I've heard all day," replied Luke, grinning slightly. With a Herculean effort, he engaged his jet engines. With a loud blast, they hurled him straight up, as if gravity had suddenly reversed. The floors sped past as he rocketed upwards. Below him, Chachamaru engaged her own flight mode, taking to the air after him. She stopped at around the tenth floor, letting Luke gain some distance. She had calculated that her plan only had a 4 chance of failure. With a single thought, she triggered her missiles. Her whole form shuddered as twelve laser guided rockets burst from her back and arced around her, flying into the tower before her.

Her plan only had a 4 percent chance of failure. Unfortunately, she hadn't considered Luke's injuries.

* * *

Luke actually overshot the floor. Only just. Truth be told, he was only going up due to momentum. He had run out of fuel approximately ten seconds ago, when he boosted up form the ground. Luke always prided himself on his wisdom, he always knew what phrase suited what situation. Currently, one stuck clearly in his mind. _What goes up, must come down._ And he sure as hell did not want to drop over twenty stories straight down. With no choice left to him, he reached out and grabbed the floor of the twenty-sixth story as he ran out of momentum and began to fall. Instead of falling down, his grip provided a pivot which swung him straight into the twenty-fifth floor. Luke's last thought before smashing against the steel and glass wall was that his luck never changed.

* * *

Chachamaru saw her missiles hit the building. The whole structure vibrated from the blast. She had targeted the weakest structural points, the ones holding the building up. When the missiles damaged them, the weight of the relay did the rest. Slowly, majestically, the tower began to fall.

* * *

Inside, all was havoc. Luke impromptu entrance had thrown everyone into confusion. He glanced about, his massive form crushed in between the ceiling and floor. He saw Chisame weeping in a corner. Forgoing explanations, he grabbed her with his good hand before kicking himself away form the building. As he fell backwards, the structure fell away from him. Chachamaru must've done a good job, he thought absently. The gaping hole which denoted his entrance was filled with debris and dust. But there were also lights. Four different coloured lights. In the shapes of sabres. At that moment, Luke had enough. He had been beaten, crushed, burned, shot at, cut, stabbed, tricked and he was bloody exhausted. He had had enough. With a snarl, he swung up his broken arm and let loose all that remained of his missiles. They filled the gap with fire and steel. Nothing came out to chase them. Luke sighed in relief. Then he realised he was falling, clinging a hysteric Miss Hasegawa, and he had no way of slowing down, now that the building itself was collapsing. _Just my bloody luck. Perhaps I should start carrying around rabbit feet and horseshoes?_

* * *

She was falling. Chisame looked up at the face of the metallic monstrosity that had saved her. It barely had one. The damage sustained was severe. One of her programs, come to rescue her. She was falling. She looked back at the building, saw it falling in on itself. She saw Chachamaru fading away from cyber space, her part in this drama over. Deciding to follow her lead, Chisame pulled herself together and pulled out her artefact. With a few quick muttered words, she and the robot too faded. For a moment, the only sound was that of the relay detonating. Then, in a rising crescendo, came the sound of water. Without power, the intrusive programs could no longer hold back the original OS. It was now falling back into place, destroying everything in its path. After a minute, nothing remained of the decaying city or its machines. Nothing was left to commemorate the vicious battle that had been fought to protect the users data. Such was the fate of all fights between viruses and protection programs.

* * *

"NO!"

The screen went blank. There was a low buzzing signifying the loss of connection. The Seeker was back in front of the PC, his mission a failure. He did not like failure. It left a bad taste in his mouth. Still, it was preferable to death. That last volley of missiles had nearly got him. Luckily, his evac unit had performed admirably, sucking him out of cyberspace and dumping him back in reality. But he had still failed. A small window popped up on the screen.

It read simply, "Download Failed."

With a screech, the Seeker drove a large, clawed gauntlet through the monitor, tearing out its innards.

* * *

In Mahora, Chisame crashed into the couch. She had regained her compusere as soon as she had returned to reality. She opened her eyes, still watery, and spied Luke on the floor.

"Y-y-y-you…." She stammered, anger flooding her. "Y-you IDIOT!" she screamed at the prone youth. "What was all that? You almost got us all killed! If it wasn't for that damn robot we wouldn't be here! Now my laptop is a mess, so am I, and it's all your fault!"

There was no response from the blonde boy. That was what made Chisame fall silent, her anger replaced with fear once more. Luke was still. His left arm was bent at an odd angle, and he was soaked. In…in…in…

"Luke?" she asked. "LUKE?!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

**Welcome Recovery**

Luke opened his eyes. Then immediately shut them. The light was blinding in its intensity. Slowly, carefully, he reopened his eyes. At first, he saw nothing but white. Soon though, shapes began to focus, and he could begin making sense of where he was. He groaned. Somehow, he had been expecting this. The day his luck would run out. Everything around him was snow white, and a golden light was illuminating him. He couldn't see the source yet, but a part of him did not want to.

"I'm dead aren't I?" croaked out the youth.

"Ever the pessimist. Honestly, would it hurt you to be optimistic once?" asked someone next to him.

Luke groaned again. "What do you want? I'm dying here!"

"No you're not you feeble wuss," sniggered Kotaro. "Negi had Konoka heal you as soon as we learned what happened. She nearly fainted from the effort. You took a hell of a beating," he said, his voice betraying his approval. Considering the damage, it was a small miracle Luke had pulled through.

"Ugh, how bad is it?" queried the older boy, expecting the worst.

"Now? It's perfectly fine. Earlier though…well, it wasn't pretty. Your left arm was shattered below the elbow, you had three deep wounds on your chest, over a dozen cuts, five bruises, and a slash down the right hand side of your face. You were covered in blood. Oh, and five lacerations on your lower torso. What the heck did you get up to in that laptop?" asked Kotaro, leaning closer to the reclining youth.

"I'm sure Miss Hasegawa has already told you the details," Luke replied weakly. He didn't feel like going over what had happened in cyberspace. It still worried him. Also, he just wanted some sleep.

Kotaro stood up, disappointed. "Well, yeah, but she told us what happened to her. She has no idea what happened to you. So we, being me, Negi, and especially the dean, were curious as to exactly what went on in there."

"I'll tell you all once I recover, I swear," croaked Luke, feeling drained already. Despite being no longer wounded, his body still needed rest.

"Fine," continued Kotaro, grinning his wolfish grin. "But it better be good."

"You have no idea," Luke managed to say, before falling unconscious.

* * *

Luke yawned, and resignedly opened his eyes. He had particularly been dreading this day. It was three days since his adventure in cyberspace. _Adventure? Hah! More like beating. If real fighting is anything like that, then I want no part of it! I doubt I'd get that lucky another time. _But that was in the past. For now, he had to quickly come up with a way to survive this day. Visitor's day. It's not that he didn't enjoy seeing acquaintances, but too many people in one room, focused on him…it just made him nervous. Plus, he was dreading the barrage of questions sure to come. And he'd have to come up with a good excuse as to why he was here. Fortunately, the fact that nothing remained of his injuries made it easier to conjure up any random story that would involve him falling ill or becoming weakened. Perhaps he should say he was diabetic? _Nah, wouldn't work. I practically feed of pure sugar. _Perhaps anaemic?_ With the amount of blood I lost? A serious possibility now._ He shook his head. This was getting ridiculous. He'd just say severe dehydration. That would do the trick.

Smiling at his own brilliance, he collapsed back onto his bed, staring at the white ceiling of the infirmary. _This place…its just so…strange _he thought to himself. In his mind he replayed his life over the past couple of weeks. Joining the academy. Living in a girls' dorm. Running from a female ninja. Discovering magic. Committing suicide. Apologizing to ninja. Miss Nagase playing tricks on him along with the twins. The whole rumour thing, then the death incident. Now this. Getting the crap beaten out of him in cyber space by some high tech nerd who enjoyed star wars. And his response? Becoming a transformer. _God, I'm such a nerd_ he concluded finally. _All I wanted is my memory. How the heck did it all escalate into this?_ He sighed. First thing he would do once he left the infirmary would be to go straight to the library and reread every book concerning the world tree there.

The cyber incident had highlighted the possibility of him dying before regaining his memory, a truly horrifying thought. _Why? Why all this? Why the magic, the danger, this life? All I want is my memory, so I can return to my previous life. It was undoubtedly safer and nicer. Parents, perhaps even a brother or sister. But…it has been a month. Any family I have must think I'm dead by now. _Sad thoughts continually chasing themselves in his head, Luke closed his eyes and slowed his breathing to calm down. Despite his attitude, his code of conduct, he only held onto it because it felt right. It felt like a part of his identity. He would never give it up, no matter what. He smiled in content. Despite all he had suffered, he had to admit, life was good.

"Luke!"

Correction, it _had_ been good. Luke managed to prop himself up on one elbow before he was hurled back into the mattress by two small, squealing girls. Anchoring themselves on his neck, the Narutaki twins hugged him as if he was their favourite toy. Luke gasped several times, filling his lungs as the twins crushed his windpipe.

"We were worried!" chirruped Fuka.

"What happened to you?" added Fumika.

The twins finally released him form their deathly embrace. Luke swallowed the air gratefully. Massaging his neck, he looked at the girls gratefully. "Ahem, well…thank you for that…enthusiastic hello. But next time, when visiting someone in an infirmary, try not to throttle them, ok?"

The twins nodded eagerly. "Sorry Luke!" they apologised in unison. The blonde couldn't suppress a smile. It vanished when the young girls dumped a bag on his lap. He glanced at both of them.

"What's this?"

"Your bag silly. Fumika said something about you wanting your stuff so we brought it over," said Fuka in answer.

"Really? Thank you," he replied, grinning. He grabbed the bag and began searching through it. It was all there. The strange deck of cards, the coins, his pocket watch. All of it. He looked up at the twins, still smiling.

"Thanks."

"So how are you feeling de gozaru?"

He finally noticed Miss Nagase by the door. "Not too bad, thank you. Just exhaustion. I've been pushing myself too hard lately, or so it seems."

She smiled her trademark smile. "Really? I heard you got into a fight."

Luke's eyebrow twitched. "Oh?"

"Really?" queried Fuka, her eyes wide. "With who?"

"There was no fight. Now run along. I'm sure you have homework to do."

Fumika opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off by Fuka. "Of course. Thanks for reminding us! Hope you get better soon!" Without further ado, she dragged her surprised sister away. Luke was thankful. He needed to talk to Miss Nagase about the incident.

"Well? Everyone's waiting to hear what happened," prompted Kaede.

Luke looked back at her. Somehow, she had managed to get closer to the bed without actually moving. He smiled nervously.

"Everyone being…?" began the boy.

"About half my class, Negi's partners, some of the teachers, the dean and Kotaro."

"They're wasting their time. There's nothing to tell. I simply kept the hacker busy until Miss Hasegawa could do her task. It wasn't going well until Miss Chachamaru showed up. She destroyed the relay and I got Miss Hasegawa out of there. Then she activated her artefact and brought us back." He lay back and stared at the ceiling. "That's all that happened."

"Ok, I'll inform the rest of what you told me," replied the tall ninja, nodding. "I'll see you later de gozaru."

"See ya," said Luke as the ninja left. He sighed in relief. He was going to be left alone after all. Good. He needed the rest. Stifling a yawn, he closed his eyes and let darkness take him.

* * *

His sleep didn't last long. He awoke with a start, spluttering. He was cold and wet. Brushing his blonde hair from his eyes, he glanced about, trying to make sense of the situation. A single look told him all he needed to know. There was a girl sprawled over the foot of his bed, face down. In her hand there was an empty jug. Probably contained the water which was now running down his face, thought Luke tiredly.

"Are you alright?" he asked politely. Manners were manners after all.

The purple haired nurse looked up and nodded shyly. It took Luke a second to recognize her. Another one from 3A.

"Good. It would be a shame for you to join me, Miss Izumi."

She looked up at the use of her surname.

"Yes, I know you. Professor Springfield was gracious enough to…educate me as to the students residing in the dorms surrounding mine," continued the youth, wiping his face with the bed sheets.

The girl nodded to signify understanding. She stood up and straightened out her uniform. Luke smiled at her. Professor Springfield had indeed spoken about Ako Izumi. Very self-conscious, starting to build confidence in herself. Particularly touchy about a scar on her back, probably afraid of blood. And of course, harbouring a deep affection for Professor Springfield's older cousin. Luke had received detailed information concerning each student he was liable to meet so to avoid any…complications. Of course, Professor Springfield provided a basic overview, whilst the more detailed info he had to find out on his own. But of course, the Narutaki twins were all too eager to share juicy gossip with anyone.

"How are you feeling today?" she finally said, disturbing the youth's train of thought.

He sighed contentedly. "A lot better, thank you. Slightly bored though. Not much to do here after all."

Miss Izumi smiled slightly at that. "Yes, I'll admit to that."

He glanced at her. "Care to stay for a chat?" he ventured. He wasn't exactly expecting her to agree, but then again, it would make a nice break form the wait for discharge. To his surprise, she nodded, turning slightly red at the same time. Luke grinned. The day could only get better after all.

* * *

"Well?" asked the dog demon.

"As he said, nothing special. He sustained his injuries providing a distraction for Chisame. Then Chachamaru showed up and helped them out."

"Interesting. Chisame never said anything about Chachamaru," thought Negi out loud.

"To be fair she might have only seen Luke. From what she told us, she wasn't exactly free to look around," pointed out Asuna.

"Point taken. So what next?" answered Kotaro.

"I suppose we should go see Chachamaru, de gozaru."

"Agreed," nodded Negi, turning around and leaving the infirmary, Asuna behind.

Kotaro glanced at the kunoichi before shrugging and following after the pair. Kaede lingered behind, casting a glance at the door to Luke's ward. She hadn't even wished him to get well…

She shook her head, dispelling such strange thoughts. Since when did that matter? He was obviously fine, and he was sure to get better anyway. The ninja looked away from the pale door and departed silently.

* * *

"So how's it going with Nagi?"

"W-w-what?! How do you know about that?!"

Luke couldn't help but grin. Catching others off-guard was a hobby of his. It led to them revealing information that otherwise would be hard to come by. They had been chatting away happily enough for the past hour, and had gotten quite friendly. So now Luke began his search for information. Any information was good information. One never knew when it might come in handy. Turning his mind back to the matter at hand, he quickly answered. "Ma'am, I share a room with the Narutaki twins. I know almost everything that goes on this campus."

"I suppose…" she replied, not fully convinced. Luke shook his head.

"I'm sorry, that was too forward. I was only curious, as you're the only girl I've met so far with any sort of romantic involvement."

"Oh, ok. Well, I suppose they're going alright. It's a long distance relationship though, so…"

"So you're worried?"

She glanced at him, and nodded silently.

Luke sat back, thoughtful. _As a gentleman, I guess I should help her. Still, romantic matters? How the heck am I supposed to help out in something like that?_ Luke closed his eyes to think. Damn his gentleman side. How the heck was he supposed to help her? Unless…

Luke smiled as an idea came to him. "Miss Izumi, do you still have contact with Nagi?"

She blushed at that. "Well, yes, but…why?"

He grinned widely at her. "Well, all I know is, long distance relationships don't really work out. So, I think it would be for the best to close that distance."

"W-w-w-what?!" stammered Ako, shocked at this turn of events.

Luke gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I wouldn't do anything without your permission. It's your love life after all."

"Then, do you mind not interfering?"

Luke stopped smiling and looked at her seriously. "Of course, I'm sorry."

Ako shook her head quickly. "It's not that, it's just that…Nagi told me to take matters more into my own hands, to be the main character."

Luke nodded sagely. "Then I won't contradict his advice. I hope things go well."

She smiled properly then, and Luke couldn't help but be enamoured. _She really is pretty when I think about it…oh god. High school soap opera development. _He groaned inwardly. _How many times do I have to remind myself? WORLD TREE ONLY! No girls, no emotions, none of that. Friendship yeah, but…honestly, I really do not have the time for anything else…_

"How about you? Do you have a special someone?"

Luke stared at her. "What?"

Ako smiled slightly, enjoying the reversal of roles. "Well, since we're talking about love life, let's hear yours."

Luke sweat dropped. "Ah, erm, well, the thing about that…"

"Soooo, Mr Mason doesn't have a girlfriend?" queried Misa playfully.

Luke nearly leapt form the bed. "Gaaah!! When did you get here?!"

"Not so long ago," answered Sakurako. Luke spun his body around to catch a glimpse of her.

"You too?"

"And me!" spoke up Madoka.

Luke gaped. Whatever peace he had hoped for had just gone out the window.

* * *

Outside the ward, Chisame rubbed her temples angrily. _Why the hell did I come? That fool deserves what he got, getting himself involved like that! And the whole incident is his fault anyway! If he hadn't kept me busy with his pointless chatter the hacker would have never gained access to my laptop! _But he hadn't left her. He had come back for her, like promised. And he managed to destroy the connection too…

_No, I will not like him! The whole thing was his fault, even if he did fix it, I never should have been placed in such danger anyways! Urgh, why the hell did I come here?! _

"Oh, hello Miss Hasegawa," greeted Luke cheerily.

Chisame's eyes sprang open in surprise as she nearly yelped. "L-Luke! Don't scare me like that!!" she snapped at him, heart racing, a faint blush on her cheeks.

Luke smiled sheepishly as he apologized, the cheerleaders behind him sharing a quick giggle.

"Looks like Hasegawa is taken with the new guy," whispered Misa to her friends behind the blonde boy's back.

"Oooh, so Kaede might have some competition?" ventured Sakurako, her mind already working out the odds against each of the girls.

Madoka sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Kaede and Chisame in competition for Luke, yeah right."

Unfortunately, the tech specialist overheard the last remark, as did the boy in question. Both turned and glared at the trio, speaking at the same time.

"What?! Me and _him_?! Hah! As if this idiot would _ever_ interest me!"

"Me the object of not one, but two girls' desires? Hah, you wish. I've made my stance on that issue all to clear, so why not spread that than any little flawed rumours you are coming up with?"

The Mahora cheerleaders looked at them before giggling. Luke glanced at Miss Hasegawa, who was turning red in anger, and decided to spare her any more of the trio's childishness. "Well, anyway, we should be going, I'm sure Miss Hasegawa has a lot of work to do," he said quickly, heading for the door, pushing the cheerleaders in front of him. "Now what was so important for you to make sure I was discharged early?"

Chisame stood there alone in the hallway for a moment, battling with her emotions. Eventually, she took a deep calming breath and left quietly, glaring at anyone who passed by.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Day Out**

"This really can't be good for me…"

"Come on, you've been in bed all day, you could use the exercise!"

Luke sighed and nodded. He had gotten out of the infirmary at last. Unfortunately, that also meant he was fair game for any schemes or trouble the girls had brewing. And as always, his luck provided him with exactly that. Now he was out and about, being dragged all over the shopping district by the Mahora Cheerleading trio. He had managed avoid answering their question's regarding his love life after all. Bidding farewell to Miss Izumi, they had left the white washed walls of the infirmary in high spirits. The girls because there was gossip afoot, considering Luke, and as for him, well, he was happy he was finally out in the fresh real air.

"So, going back to my original question…" began Sakurako in a conspirational tone.

Luke closed his eyes and bit back a retort. He should've known that it would come up again sometime. Pity he had been hoping for that "sometime" to be around next month. Yet, as a gentleman, he was honour bound to answer them truthfully. _Why am I so nice? Honestly. I'm too good for my own…erm, good. _He cringed inwardly. _That was one of the lamest things I've ever thought. Ah well, things can only get be- no, none of that. Every time I think or say that they get worse. Was I cursed at birth to forever have bad luck?_

"Erm, earth to Luke, come in!" said Madoka, waving her hand in front of his face. The blonde boy was lost in thought. He immediately came back.

"Sorry about that, Ma'am," said the boy, smiling now. "Now, why the heck did the Mahora Cheerleading trio drag me here again?"

"Don't try to dodge the issue here!" cried Sakurako accusingly. "Now spill it, what's with your love life? Are you with Kaede or Chisame?"

"What?"

"Yeah, we heard you passed out in her room. Why was that? Tired you out did she?" added Misa with an evil glint in her eye.

"What!?"

"So starting your own harem are you?" queried Madoka, getting caught up in the matter.

"WHAT?!"

The cheerleaders laughed openly at the thunderstruck expression on the youth's face.

"Luke, you take things too literally! We're just teasing!" giggled Misa, elbowing Sakurako in the stomach to quiet the other girl's laughter. The boy smiled slightly, his eyes slowly losing the shock he had felt.

"Oh, erm, fair enough I suppose. Now why has the infamous Mahora cheerleading trio dragged me out here again?"

The girls glanced at each other. They shared a mischievous smile before turning to Luke. The blonde youth's smile froze. _Gods above, if you happen to be listening, help me!!_

* * *

"Master," spoke up Chachamaru suddenly.

"What is it?!" hissed Evangeline, annoyed at the interruption. The summoning ritual was nearing completion. Unfortunately, the still had to draw approximately fifty different runes and recite thirty more verses of the spell. No interruptions would be tolerated.

"My sensor's detect Professor Negi and his partners coming."

"What?! What would they want? There's no training scheduled for the next week!"

"I believe they are coming to speak to me," replied the robotic girl.

The vampire snorted. "Why would they want to talk to you?"

"Several incidents have occurred in which-"

"Hmph, whatever," retorted Evangeline, turning back to her work. "Just go and take care of it. I need to finish this before those brats become complacent."

* * *

"Excuse me please, but can one of you remind me exactly why I'm doing this?"

"Because you need an update in your looks," replied Misa, shoving Luke into the changing room. She slammed the door shut after him. "Now don't complain. We let you choose your stuff didn't we?"

"You say that as if it was a bad thing," came the muffled reply from behind the door.

"You have no sense of adventure when it comes to fashion," answered Sakurako, glaring at the door as if it had insulted her.

"Sense of adventure?! I'm not preparing myself for a fancy dress ball!" cried back Luke.

"What's that?" asked Madoka curiously, standing next to Sakurako, arms folded.

"Oh, well, I suppose you call them something else in Japan. Or it might be a western thing, heck I don't know," replied the boy from the changers.

"What is it though?" asked Misa, curious now as well.

"Well, I guess it's essentially a posh party," said Luke in a thoughtful tone. "People come dressed up in various ways, representing the beings of myth and legend, so gods, heroes, and other western creatures. They were popular in France once I believe. They're uncommon in England though. Guess we lack the amount of nobility," he finished with a laugh.

The trio were now bunched up together, whispering excitedly. Parties of any kind were their speciality. They prided themselves on being the best organisers on campus. And Luke had just given them a challenge. And a challenge had to be met.

"Is everything ok?" asked the blonde boy. The girls hushed and turned around. He was standing in front of the door, arms folded as if waiting. He had changed into his new clothes, a pair of jeans, a white shirt and black jacket. An improvement from his usual attire. Sakurako smiled and nodded, pleased with his choice. Whilst not a drastic change from his normal outfit, it was still nice to see him in something else than the clothes he had arrived in.

"What are you three plotting?" he asked again, is eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Nothing," they chorused in unison. Luke knew they were lying, but he didn't press the matter. They weren't the sort to cause trouble, and they had nothing to do with magic. So whatever they were plotting was hardly worth worrying about. That was his last thought as they left the store.

"Ah, Mr Mason, I was hoping I'd run into you."

Luke froze. His left eyebrow twitched slightly. _Oh no, not him, please not him! _

Dreading the inevitable, he turned around.

* * *

"So you didn't see the hacker either?" asked Negi, politely sipping his tea.

"No professor," clarified the gynoid. "I only uploaded myself into Chisame's system when I realized something was wrong. I proceeded to locate the closest signal, which was Mr Mason. We then went deeper into the OS and he rescued Chisame whilst I destroyed the link."

"So Luke actually did something heroic?" asked Kaede, a smile tugging at her lips. "That is quite unlike him."

Kotaro meanwhile was laughing. "That weakling? Save Chisame? He can barely protect himself!"

Chachamaru did not respond to those accusations. She simply bowed as she asked, "Is that all? I am afraid I have duties to attend to."

"Of course Chachamaru, thank you for your time," replied Negi, standing up and bowing also. The robot watched her teacher depart with his friends, before returning down to the sealed basement, thinking no further of the incident in cyberspace.

* * *

"Well, that was informative," said Negi finally, as they left the house behind. "Chachamaru proved as helpful as always."

"I'm still not convinced," replied Asuna, walking beside him. "She seemed to be hiding something."

"Indeed," agreed Kotaro. "And she wasn't present for the entire incident."

"Luke is remaining tight lipped about the whole thing," added Kaede.

Negi sighed. He disliked prying, but they had to find out more about this hacker. Neither Chachamaru nor Chisame had properly encountered him. No trace was possible with their information. They were running out of options.

"Very well," he said finally. "We'll go into his memory."

* * *

"Are they gone?" asked Evangeline, dusting chalk off her hands.

"Yes Master," said Chachamaru in her trademark monotone.

"What did they want?"

"They were curious as to the lack of training this week," lied the mechanical. She doubted that telling her master that they were curious about her own role in Luke's misfortune would brighten her day. She turned rabid at the mere mention of the newcomer, even though he hadn't done anything particularly offensive to her, at least in Chachamaru's mind.

Evangeline snorted in disgust. "They see their own weakness. Finally. Still, this demon attack should wake up the teachers' as to the discrepancies in their defences despite the Mahora Festival affair."

"Of course Master," replied Chachamaru, glad that the vampire hadn't questioned her further. She was still not used to lying after all.

* * *

"How can I help you sir?" asked Luke, smiling nervously.

Professor Takahata was smiling. That was the first sign of impending trouble. The second was his unlit cigarette, resting between his lips. The third? He had his hands in his pockets. Luke had learned all these tell-tale signs on his second day of class, after a run in with Kotaro which led to several hours hard labour of cleaning the Professor's office.

"I have something for you," he said, drawing something out of his pocket.

"Oh. How nice of you to deliver it for me, sir," the boy replied, still smiling like a statue. He took the envelope automatically, and opened it. He glanced up at his teacher.

"Erm, what is it?"

"A special assignment from the dean," answered the older man. "It has been approved by me and Professor Springfield. Congratulations."

Luke felt his blood run cold. _Three of the most powerful mages on campus have approved of this. They haven't involved anyone else. Bury me on a sunlit hill and read my will in the morning, I'm a dead man. _Luke gulped slightly, and looked down at the letter he held in his hands. The cheerleaders were about to lean in to read to as well before a polite cough from Professor Takahata made them back off. Personal matters were…well, personal. As he read the letter, whatever colour remained on the blonde youth's face vanished. He glanced at Takahata.

"You can't be serious."

"Indeed I am. I trust there are no objections?"

"What? Apart from the obvious ones?! I hate to question your decisions sir, but frankly, what the hell were you thinking?!" Luke exclaimed, his now tenuous grip on conduct beginning to slip.

The teacher raised his eyebrows. "You're acting as if it's a suicide mission."

The Mahora Cheerleading trio glanced at one another. This was turning interesting.

"Well, in any case, it's still hazardous to my health! I'm not going to run around jeopardising it!" argued Luke, all pretence of politeness forgotten. "I've read the reports from the other teachers! You're sending me into a situation I have no hope in!"

Takahata simply chuckled. "Consider it a test then, and also, despite your misgivings, I know you'll do it."

"And what makes you so sure, sir?" replied the youth, restoring his control.

Takahata smiled at him. "What would a gentleman do?"

Luke gaped at him, before gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. _Ooooh, that was a cheap shot…_

Taking a breath to calm down, he glared at the smiling teacher, already planning on how to survive this crazed assignment.

"Fine, I accept this charge."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Why Me?! **

"Why did you sign it?!" snarled Luke when he finally ran into Negi later that afternoon.

"I spoke to Takamichi and we agreed it was for the best," answered the kid-teacher with an embarrassed smile. "I mean, it's not like we're sending you into battle, so calm down."

"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?! You've essentially signed my death warrant! You know I have no experience in these sorts of things!"

"Ok, now you're just over-reacting," said Kotaro, sitting idly by. He was smirking at the scene in front of him. Luke was fuming at his new assignment, surrounded by Negi, Asuna and Kaede. The cheerleaders had gone off to take care of some business as soon as they had encountered each other.

"Come now, whatever it is, I'm sure it's not so bad de gozaru," began Kaede, smiling.

"Exactly, Professor Takahata would never endanger the students," added Asuna with a dreamy expression on her face. Luke glanced from one girl to the other. _Great. The fearless ninja and the girl with a crush on my teacher. No help forthcoming from that corner._ He looked at Negi. _And of course one of the ringleaders of this little venture. Damnation. Why me? They should've chosen Kotaro! He's more suited to this task! _

Luke took a deep breath to calm down. Twitching slightly in anger and frustration, he turned to Professor Springfield. "Why not get Kotaro for this? After all, he needs the money."

"He also needs his classes," retorted the child. "You, however, do not require further teaching. After all, you aced all your tests so far…"

"Wait, what?! No way! I purposefully answered the last three wrong and-" his eyes went wide and his hands covered his mouth as he realized he'd been tricked.

"I KNEW IT!" cried out Kotaro accusingly, leaping up from the bench and striding over to the group. "I knew that the final answer was wrong!"

"Then why did you copy me?!" snapped back Luke, glaring at the werewolf.

Kotaro's smirk vanished. "Well, I, um, thought it would be a good idea to get some question's wrong too…"

"Some? Some?! You got below the average!" said the older boy accusingly.

"Which is why he remains in class, and you help me," interrupted Negi, stepping in between the two. Both boys were glaring at each other, before mumbling their excuses and looking away.

Kaede's smile grew wider at seeing such comradely bickering amongst the boys, whilst next to her Asuna was still dreaming about Takahata. "So what is this assignment anyway?" asked the kunoichi finally.

The three males looked at each other then at her.

"It's simple enough really, Luke just has to-" began Negi.

"-help professor Springfield with several matters which may jeopardise my health!" interrupted the older boy angrily. "For the record, I had no knowledge of this, and I was coerced into this crazy scheme!"

Kotaro threw up his hands in frustration. "Again with the theatrics! Why not act your age for once, instead of running around like a ten year old?"

He gritted his teeth and exhaled slowly. "Alright. I apologize. I may have over reacted slightly. Either way, as a gentleman, I have accepted this charge. I only pray you do not question my methods."

The child teacher nodded sagely. "I won't, and thank you for agreeing. The help will come in most useful."

Luke nodded, resigned to his fate. "And may I ask, for how long is it?"

"Until the end of the year," answered Negi quickly, smiling slightly.

Luke sweat dropped. "E-e-end of the year?!"

"Problem?"

Luke straightened up and replied in a serious tone. "No sir!" _Oh god, I only hope Mr Izashima has enough spare equipment lying around to lend me some!_

* * *

The next day, Luke was walking down the corridor with Professor Springfield, ready for his assignment. He turned to the younger boy. "Alright, two things. Firstly, why me? And second, you can ask."

Negi glanced at him, not stopping his brisk pace. "Well, you're a gifted student, exceptionally bright and know more about the subjects than several of the teachers. So it would be a waste to leave you in a class where you won't learn anything. Hence we transferred you here so your energy may be used more…productively. And as for my question, why that getup?"

Luke's blank, reflective visor swung around to face the boy. "Be prepared, that's all."

"You look as if you're expecting a riot!"

"At best," answered the youth. "I've read the reports. Two teachers forced into early retirement, one had a nervous breakdown. Three classrooms demolished, various pieces of school equipment damaged beyond repair. Frankly sir, I'm amazed you managed to cope, though I suppose you being ten negates the destructive side in them."

"Is that so?" said Negi, not convinced.

"Yep, but I'm their age, so I might be seen as fair game for their more ruthless pranks," replied Luke, growing slightly nervous. _Not to mention vengeance from some of them. _The vampire immediately came to mind. He thanked his wisdom in acquiring this gear. Not only would it help him survive, but also hid his identity. Things should be a little easier with that.

Next to him, the kid teacher simply shook his head. "You worry too much for someone your age."

"Look who's talking," retorted Luke.

They stopped, having reached a door identical to all others in the hallway. Negi turned to his new assistant, reaching for the handle. "Ready?"

"No."

"Tough," answered the Professor with a smile, entering his class. Luke looked to the heavens and muttered a brief prayer before following him in.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Points of View**

"Class, this is my new assistant, he will be helping me in my various duties as your teacher. Now I expect you to treat him as you do me," said Negi, oblivious to the truth of his words. "So no pranks or tricks. Also, some of you may be…curious as to his choice of attire. From what he had told me it seems he finds it necessary when it comes to resolving conflicts between you." He looked pointedly at Asuna and Ayaka as he said this. Ayaka seemed annoyed, and Asuna furious. _Ah, they'll get over it. _

* * *

The entire class was staring at him. Luke did not care. He forwent looks for practicality when it came to this. It may be overkill, and he might be over reacting, but by the gods, he wasn't about to underestimate 3A! They were the single, most destructive, diverse and downright dangerous group of students at Mahora! Luke paused his mental ravings, impressed by the amount of words beginning with d he had come up with. _Rather poetic_ _I must admit._ He cleared his head of distractions. That was the last thing he needed!

* * *

Student Number 1, Sayo Aisaka, stared at the newcomer. He was terrifying. A featureless, reflective visor hid his face, making him seem inhuman. He was clad in heavy body armour and looked as if he could demolish a wall single handed. A clear, see-through rectangular shield was clasped in his left hand. He was simply standing to one side, seemingly watching the whole class. As the blank visor swung in her direction, she couldn't repress a shiver. Whoever he was, he was no normal assistant.

* * *

Yuna Akashi, Student Number 2, merely glanced at the newcomer. Sure he was dressed in full riot gear, but knowing her class, Yuna wasn't surprised. She was however interested as to who it was. The bulky armour and visor hid his details from them, so it was impossible to guess his identity. She let a sly grin spread over her face. Perhaps he was one of the others' past boyfriends how now feared vengeance. The more she thought about it, the more sense it made to Yuna. _A past flame fearing discovery. Ooooh, this new guy can be quite fun!_

* * *

Similar thoughts were scurrying through the mind of 3A's finest investigative reporter. Student Number 3, Kazumi Asakura. Always alert for any new happenings, leaving no stone unturned, no secret uncovered, she was shocked to discover an assistant had been assigned to her class. _Am I losing my touch? First the Luke thing, and now this! _She felt her resolve harden. Damn it all, she was the best reporter on Campus! True, she hadn't detected anything about this replacement, but that could only mean he was somehow linked to mages. Only that sort of person would be given such a position on such short notice, and his getup…_he must be expecting the worst from the class, and only someone who knows about mages knows the truth of our class._ She felt an idea forming in her mind. An interview with the new assistant should show everyone that she was still the best of the best! He definitely looked the type not to give interviews. Well, a challenge made the whole prospect only more attractive to her…

* * *

Yue Ayase simply reacted to the announcement as she did to everything. That is, not at all. She simply looked up at the arrival, assessed him for a second, then turned back to the book she was reading. _Probably just another mage to help Negi acquire his licence. Still, that armour is slightly over the top…_

* * *

Student Number 5, Ako Izumi stared at the assistant. Bedecked in full riot gear, down to a truncheon and riot shield. She wasn't one to make excuses for her class. She knew 3A could be a handful at times, but to call in some sort of police warden to guard them?! They certainly hadn't deserved that! She quickly looked away when confronted by the mirrored visor. It scared her. Whoever it was, he was taking great lengths to conceal himself. He could be anyone. She was suddenly struck with the image of a brawny man with a scarred face. She shook her head to dispel that worrying image. _They wouldn't send us anyone…weird. Would they?_

* * *

Akira Okoichi, Student Number 6, had a much more positive view of the situation. She smiled at the newcomer, totally unperturbed by the menacing, pith black armour. _He's probably embarrassed by being in a class full of girls_ she thought with a smile. _He's probably bright red under that visor_. She could understand why someone would hide away to avoid further embarrassment, so she actually felt sympathy for the assistant. Perhaps some of her friends could convince him to remove that armour before he started melting in the afternoon heat…

* * *

Worrying about other matters entirely was Misa Kakizaki, Student Number 7. She couldn't help but feel impressed by the new guy's choice of attire. _Has access to police equipment, prepared for the worst…not bad _she thought approvingly. Sometimes the class could become riotous, and she had rather enjoyed it when the teachers tried to stop them. Normally it led to them being sucked into the combat and coming out worse for wear. Their first teacher, Takahata, had that look so no problems started. But on days they had substitutions…well, it wasn't pretty. Ayaka's and Asuna's fights were legendary. But now, this assistant looked like he could give them a run for their money when it came to brawling. Misa couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to spectate such a match. Also, police gear was becoming more in fashion lately…she'd have to talk to him and see if she could get her hands on some "characterful" accessories.

* * *

Student Number 8, Asuna Kagurazaka was fuming at the veiled remark Negi had shot at her. _How dare that brat immediately assume that I would begin trouble here! If anyone was to start fighting, it would be that dumb class rep! _She was so preoccupied with controlling her temper she barely noticed the assistant glancing at her, then nodding as if confirming something on a mental checklist. She glared back at him, a murderous gleam in her eyes. The assistant took the hint and hurriedly looked away, though she couldn't be sure because of that freaky helmet he was wearing, obscuring his face.

* * *

Misora Kasuga was one of the few girls in 3A who was a tomboy. So, Student Number 9 was actually interested in the arrival, curious as to who he was, and why he was here. What could some sort of police officer teach them here? She couldn't help but fantasise. Perhaps self defence techniques? That could be worth a laugh. Also, her curiosity was tugging her to discover his identity. Perhaps a grizzled veteran of the police force? Or a young loose cannon who had been punished by being sent here? He might be rather attractive beneath all that armour. She couldn't help but grin. The guy had obviously heard of 3A's reputation. Which would mean he knew about magic, or was a mage himself. Interesting…

Another of the few students in 3A who was indifferent to the male in riot gear was Student Number 10, Chachamaru Karakuri. She had seen stranger things in her time at Mahora, so some man coming in looking as if he was expecting a street war to break out in class was not shocking to her. She quickly ran a bio-scan of him, in case Master would wish to inspect the new arrival in more detail. His pulse was brisk, and his adrenaline levels were above average. He was nervous. Despite his intimidating image, he was more afraid of the class than they were of him. Which was saying something considering the reactions of some of her fellow classmates.

* * *

Such a classmate was Madoka Kugiyama, Student Number 11. She was gaping at Professor Springfield's new helper. He was either brilliant, or mad. Either way, he was intimidating. Black body armour and riot gear. Madoka hoped he wasn't strict, or happy to use that truncheon at slightest provocation. If he was, Sakurako especially would be in trouble. And then she would come to her aid and…well, it could escalate really fast and who knew were it would end? She felt a new found duty to guard her friends against this new crazed warden. If he so much as dared harm her friends, he would pay. Although looking at the brawny form of the man, she seriously doubted she could do anything to him.

* * *

Ku Fei, Student Number 12 was eagerly watching the black clad man, itching for an excuse to fight him. She was sure she could take him on, and he looked strong. Plus, she had never faced an opponent in such body armour before. She was nearly giddy in anticipation of a challenge. He was a wise warrior too. He was trying to unsettle them. Hence the gear, the armour. Especially though, was the featureless visor. A smart move. It removed his humanity, made him seem more eerie than he really was. Ku Fei of course, had long ago gone past such petty fears. She simply grinned as he turned to regard her. She noticed his stiffening of posture, as if realizing what to expect. She couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Konoka Konoe, on the other hand, was delighted by the new arrival. It fulfilled the prophecy the cards had foretold. Student Number 13 was almost giddy from joy. For if that prediction was true, than so was the rest! She smiled contentedly, gazing out the window, totally ignoring the armoured stranger as if he wasn't there. And so she missed the time when he turned to regard her, the mirrored visor tilting in her direction as if pleading.

* * *

Student Number 14 was already drawing sketches of the stranger for future use. Haruna Saotome cast furtive glances in his direction, hoping not to get noticed by the imposing figure. He radiated power, confidence, and mystery. Well, at least in her eyes. He stood tall and proud, his accessories held in an easy grip. The blank visor slowly scanned the class, as if waiting. Nothing could be seen that would allow her to discern his identity. He may be a man, or a mage, or even a security golem. Or a new droid like Chachamaru. Haruna chuckled evilly at that thought. A partner for Chachamaru. That would be such a story. She never did have a boyfriend, so it would be interesting to see her in such a situation…

* * *

As for Student Number 15…whilst outwardly she appeared indifferent, inside she was calculating. A new arrival. No warning from the dean. A possible weakness. A spy sent by enemies. Setsuna Sakurazaki forced her mind to stop conjuring images of enemies everywhere. Whilst the figure looked like something from a bad dream, he was no threat. Her trained warrior's spirit knew this. Despite his confidence, his familiarity with his weapons, he was still scared of them. He knew what this class had. Demons, vampires, robots, mages…And yet he still had come, despite his fears. That impressed her, however slightly. Facing down one's fears was one of the marks of a warrior. Whoever he was, he could be trained to become more efficient…

* * *

Makie Sasaki was nervous, perhaps even scared. The 16th Student eyed the policeman warily. He wasn't what she had expected from Negi's announcement. Then again, what could he say to make her expect a six foot ten man clad in black body armour and with riot gear? He looked ready to lay into them with his truncheon, just waiting for an excuse. She shivered when the mirrored helm looked at her. She felt as if he was eyeing her up as a predator would its prey. She desperately prayed for her to avoid the anger of the terrifying apparition before her. The blank visor turned from her, and she visibly sagged in relief. Whatever was going on, it was important, that much she could tell.

* * *

Sakurako Shiina, Student Number 17, was of a similar opinion. Being one of the more…rowdier denizens of 3A, the new arrival scared her. It seemed as if he was waiting for one of them to act out of line, and then to vent his righteous fury upon the hapless individual. Still, Negi wouldn't let someone like that into the class. Unless he had been ordered to by the dean. And who knew how the dean's mind worked? She crossed her fingers under the table, hoping for the best. She gulped when the man's head reached her seat. She nearly squeaked and tried to look inconspicuous. The featureless visor nodded to her, then moved on. She sighed in joy at avoiding being targeted.

* * *

Student Number 18, Mana Tatsumiya was another one of the girls to be totally unimpressed by the new arrival. She had seen more horrifying demons after all. And despite his armour, her calculating mind had already identified several well known weak spots. Mostly the joints and neck. If he started any trouble, she had two specially modified pistols loaded with tranquilisers to calm him down.

* * *

Kaede Nagase had several ideas similar to Ku Fei's, all which had blossomed as soon as the man had entered. She smiled her trademark smile as she considered the possibilities of challenging this urban warrior. His weapons were in a confident grip, and he was surveying the classroom slowly, eyeing each of the students in turn. When the mirror helm faced her, she just smiled back. No reaction was visible, so she knew he had been expecting that. Whoever it was, they knew this class. Fighting someone you knew nothing about, but they knew everything about you. A worthy challenge.

* * *

The 20th Student just tilted her head quizzically, surprised and yet curious. Why would professor Negi need someone like that to help him? He looked more like a guard than a teacher, and why the equipment? It wasn't as if this class was violent. A nicer group of people you couldn't hope to meet. Still, he wasn't taking any chances. Chizuru Naba laughed softly. This man reminded her of Kotaro. All about combat, nothing else. He seemed nervous too, as if out of his depth. So Kotaro like.

* * *

The Narutaki twins, Student Numbers 21 and 22, were quietly discussing the new arrival.

"He's scary," started Fumika, looking fearfully at the towering, armoured form.

"That what he wants! Don't be afraid! Remember Kaede's training!" hissed back Fuka. Fumika nodded, still trembling in awe of the figure.

Fuka smiled suddenly. "Damn, he's good at being secretive. I've we had even an inkling of a guest, we would've prepared some delightful traps! Looks like he didn't want that…"

"Then what does he want?" asked Fumika fearfully. Fuka didn't answer, staring at the figure as if to make it turn to them and start giving answers.

Yet he pointedly ignored them.

* * *

Satomi Hakase was doing what she did best. Studying an interesting specimen. The 24th Student always had been good at analysing things. This simple man in front of her was like a book, waiting to be read. And what fun it was to read! He knew how to use his gear. He had recently acquired it, for it was brand new and top of the line. He was nervous, and so rigid, in an upright posture, as if to attention. His scanning the room betrayed his curiosity concerning the girls. All his movements were perfectly calculated, limited though they were. Yes, he was interesting…

* * *

Student Number 25 was also behaving normally under the circumstances. Which meant she was rubbing her temples, trying to stop a migraine developing. Another freak. Great. And armoured too. That meant there was something up. And it was deemed they required protection from this police fanatic. He was most likely a mage as well. Why? Why couldn't she have a normal life? Had she been cursed? Why was she doomed for eternity to be surrounded by such a varied bunch of weirdoes?!

* * *

When the helm regarded Student Number 26, she stared back, a cold smile on her lips, daring the figure to look away. He did, after a small nod. She felt like laughing. This new guy was close to running from the room in terror. A mage then, who knew of her reputation. Well, she was the Dark Evangel after all. She didn't have a six million yen bounty on her head for nothing. If this new boy turned out to be some sort of bounty hunter, she would be glad. The ritual had bored her, and she could use some exercise. Perhaps that new ice spell she had been playing around with recently would come in useful…?

* * *

The 27th Student, Nodoka Miyazaki, buried her face in her hands. Why this? What had happened? Was Negi failing in his task as a teacher? Had the mage school sent someone to keep an eye on him? But he was doing so well…She glanced up at the assistant. He seemed to be looking right at her. She yelped slightly and hid her face again. Perhaps he was here to assess performance, or to see if his identity as a mage has been revealed…that would be a disaster! He would almost definitely be turned into an ermine! She couldn't let that happen!

* * *

Natsumi Murakami was acting in a similar way to Student 27, but for different reasons. Being naturally shy, she immediately turned red and tried to hide herself as best as she could. The new assistant was…well, strange. He wore armour for one thing, and seemed inhuman, due to the reflective visor. She was deeply troubled. Whether acting or not, this new assistant was deranged, she could tell that much. She only hoped Professor Springfield knew what he was doing. Then again, when had he ever gotten his students in danger?

* * *

Student Number 29, Ayaka Yukihiro was the girl who was least troubled by the new arrival. She had absolute faith in Professor Springfield. Despite his age, he was a good judge of character, and he obviously trusted this newcomer. Also, it looked like the assistant could break up several of the more vicious arguments in class, something she was normally required to do. She felt some relief at that. It tended to drain her after all, and she ran such a busy schedule she couldn't afford any rest. Yes, there was no need to worry about this new teacher. Professor Springfield would never have appointed someone who is a potential threat to his students in his class. He was a proper English gentleman through and through after all.

* * *

Satsuki Yotsuba, Student 30, was not afraid or puzzled by Professor Negi's escort. She was simply curious. A new character in her diverse class. She couldn't help but wonder what he knew. He looked tense and out of place. She doubted he had received a warm welcome. That thought saddened her. Satsuki was the type of person who would gladly help anyone in need. Her mind was already thinking up ideas of meals that would make him happy. All she had to do was give him an invitation to the restaurant/Café she ran with some of the others. Then she was sure she could make him feel more at home in this strange environment…

* * *

And the final Student of Class 3A, Zazie Rainyday, took all of this information in within a second. Her face remained as impassive as ever, though she studied the black giant closely. He was well versed in tricks. She also noted the reactions of her fellow classmates, some fear, curiosity, anger, and sympathy blended together to form a generally suspicious outlook. Whoever this newcomer was, he wasn't going to have an easy time here, that much was certain.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Danger Zone**

So far, class was going well. Negi was still teaching them English prose. Frankly, Luke couldn't care less. He knew it all inside and out, and the repetitiveness of the class made him want to yawn. Still, he had to remain alert. He had been assigned as Professor Springfield's assistant in teaching. However, a quick discussion with him allowed Luke to drive across the point that his students would be highly unlikely to accept him in a position of authority. Hence this role, as a warden. Their talk had revealed to the older boy that the kid teacher couldn't break up fights due to his inexperience, and, well, lack of commanding presence. Luke wasn't entirely sure if he could fill that sort of role, but there was no other job available. So in a nutshell, he was being paid to guard a classroom of girls who could wipe out a demonic army without breaking a sweat. Somehow Luke felt as if he was obsolete.

* * *

Negi couldn't help but glance over to his new assistant. He was taking everything in his stride, despite his nervousness. That was commendable. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling of overkill when looking at him. He would be the first to admit that his class could be unruly at times, he was their home room teacher after all, but one hardly required riot gear to deal with them…he hoped. And if he would have to resort to using Luke, then he sincerely hoped that the youth would be able to restrain himself. As he formed the thought he realised that there was no need to worry. Luke had said it himself. As an English gentleman, he was honour bound not to harm the girls in any way. His duty was to simply break up fights and disagreements, and to help the young Professor carry heavy loads that he couldn't lift yet. So far the blonde boy had voiced no objections, so Negi summarised that as long as he continued like this, nothing exceptional should happen. However, sooner or later he would have to confront him regarding that hacker. They needed that information, whether he cooperated or not.

* * *

Class that day was quiet. No chit-chat, no teasing or arguing. The girls weren't entirely sure of the new man's attitude yet, so most decided to play it safe. Others were simply well behaved by nature, but a select few was already plotting against him. Of course, it all went out the window when the time came for English class. As usual, Negi called on his students to translate various passages. As usual, one of them was Asuna. As usual, she didn't exactly perform well. And of course, with failure, came Class Rep's remarks. Sooner than expected, it was starting. As far as Asuna Vs Ayaka fights go, this one was comparably tame. That meant, there was only hair pulling, name calling, punching, and kicking, but no swearing in the presence of their teacher. Negi was scuttling around the ring of girls which always forms when the infamous duo decides to battle, trying in vain to see what was happening.

Luke simply gaped at the whole spectacle. This looked like a regular occurrence, judging from everyone's reactions. Miss Asakura was already shooting with her camera, probably hoping for this to escalate out of control, as if any control was being shown by the participants. Ku Fei was cheering both of the fighters on, Miss Konoe was simply looking at the whole incident with a tired smile on her face. And as for Miss Sakurako…she was making a minor fortune in bets regarding the outcome of the fight. Most of the other girls had crowded into a rough ring to get a better view of the proceedings. Luke shook his head and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. He wanted no part in this, and besides, he was sure Professor Springfield could handle it-

WHAM

Luke bent double, feeling the air being knocked out of him. He managed to remain upright however, and none of the girls had noticed his momentary weakness. He glanced down, only to find the kid teacher sprawled before him. Luke sweatdropped.

"Erm, are you ok Professor?" he whispered, making sure not to get heard.

The child prodigy rubbed his head as he stood up. He looked at his new assistant. "Yes I'm fine. Now would you care to do your job?" he asked politely, gesturing towards the swirling melee. Luke paled beneath his visor. _I'm here for the first time and they expect me to work?! Why can't he handle it?!_

"Something wrong?" asked Negi, sincerity in his voice. Luke glared at him.

"I thought you could handle a situation like this!"

"I never could! Only two things can stop them now! That's either the bell or Takahata!"

Luke's eyes went wide as he realised what the child expected him to do. "Y-you can't be serious…"

"The Academy isn't paying you a ridiculous amount of money to do nothing!"

"Well I wouldn't have demanded that much if you had provided health insurance!" retorted the youth.

"Why would you need that?!" queried Negi in surprise.

"Because this class is lethal!" replied Luke angrily, indicating the fight. It certainly looked ready to escalate to something far more dangerous.

"Even more reason to break that up. Now please go?" That damn pleading tone did it. With a heavy sigh, he pulled out a sheet of paper from his pocket, handed it to the teacher and began to slowly walk towards the battle, trepidation heavy with each step.

Negi glanced at what he had been given, his eyes growing wide. "Wait, what's this?!" he called after the figure.

Luke turned back before replying. "My will. You know, just in case."

Negi gaped at the older boy. _He has a really morbid sense of humour…_

* * *

"Trouble," said Mana suddenly.

"What is it?" queried Kaede, turning away form the combat in front of her.

Mana remained silent, simply tilting her head. Kaede followed the way she was indicating, and smiled.

"Ah, now we see what the new assistant is capable of."

Mana did not reply, but simply reached for her guns. There would be no difficulty, of that she was sure.

Ku Fei also noticed the approaching assistant. She smiled, her eyes sparkling. It looked like she was going to get her fight after all…

* * *

Luke stopped about three feet away from the nearest student. It was close enough. He took a deep breath to clam himself, and spoke in a clear voice. "Enough. Cease this immediately or I will have to take action." He ensured to alter his voice to make sure no one recognized him. Considering his role, he was highly unlikely to be popular with the girls after all.

Some of the girls turned around at the speaker. Few reacted, the rest ignoring him, either from defiance or from being too engrossed in the fight. Luke was not enjoying this.

"Return to your seats," he growled, his temper patience beginning to fray. Still no response. He sighed in frustration. He didn't want to start shoving them around, firstly because it was un-gentlemanish to do so, and secondly, as soon as he laid a finger on any of them, there was a good chance the fighters might attack him. And he had no allusions as to what would remain of him after Miss Fei, Miss Tatsumiya, Miss Nagase and that angel had done with him. There was one option left to him, though it meant probably death in the near future. Still, he preferred that to immediate death. "Fine. Have it your way." He spun around and walked back to the teacher.

* * *

"That was…disappointing," said Mana at last.

"Indeed. I thought he would be a bit more bold," agreed Kaede.

Ku Fei pouted. "Him a coward," she added.

* * *

"What was that?!" asked Negi indignantly.

"A warning. They ignored it, correct professor?" replied Luke in a monotone, reaching for something on his belt.

"Yes, but you didn't deliver on it!"

"I gave them a warning. They ignored it, they suffer the consequences, right?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then come with me," said the blank visor, gripping the child's arm and hauling him to the doorway.

"What are you going to do?!" asked Negi.

"Punishment, as I have been ordered to. As a man of honour, I must keep my word, and keep peace in this class, any way possible. Just have them assemble in register order outside once I'm done."

"Why outside, Luke? What are you going to do? You can't harm my students, you know that."

The black clad man turned and glared at him. "I gave you my word. I won't hurt them, just…shake them up a bit."

"Physically?"

"What?! No! Who the hell do you take me for?! I'll just make them leave the class and take their minds of fighting for a while. "

Negi looked from his assistant to the raging battle. He closed his eyes in resignation. "Very well. Do what you must."

"I'm not enjoying this either," hissed the youth. "Plus, once school is over, they try to tear me apart. But I still have to do my job, so try to understand my position!"

The teacher of 3A simply nodded and went into the hallway, flipping open his register and giving Luke a thumbs up sign. He could begin. _Oh God in heaven, I admit I'm enjoying this slightly, but please let me survive their vengeance!_ He thought. It was his chance to get back at the girls after that beating he took at the end of the death rumour incident. Revenge was sweet, and as a gentleman, he was bound by honour to exact it to keep his honour intact. It was just a shame it was also a death wish. _Aw well, screw it all_ he thought finally, pulling out the pin. He knelt down and rolled the hissing gas grenade into the ring of girls, before spinning around and beginning the fastest exit known to man.

Behind him, the grenade burst open, releasing the tear gas. The noxious green cloud soon expanded to fill the entire class, obscuring the view from outside. In the hallway, Negi gaped at Luke's audacity. He could clearly hear cries of alarm, as well as coughing and crying as the irritant did its work.

Luke had, by this time, reached the exit and showed no signs of slowing down. He had to get as good a head start as he could. True, he had taken the girls' minds off fighting for now, but at the risk of incurring their wrath again. Still, he preferred that to the dean's and Takahata's wrath if they were to learn he had not fulfilled his duties. And anyways, this time round, he knew exactly where to go to avoid a messy/excruciating/ironic death. But before that, a little administrative matter had to be taken care of. He pulled out his mobile phone and punched in a number.

"Hello?...Yes…Yes, I understand….Well, actually, I might require the rest of the week off…No, nothing like that…Ok, something like that…Thanks," he hung up and pocketed his phone, still sprinting. He only hoped it would take some time before the more…headstrong members of the class reached the conclusion that vengeance was in order. The blonde youth chuckled. He had to admit, when it came to first days on a job, he knew how to leave an impression!


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

**Sewer Rat**

"Where is that b--!?" swore Asuna, storming her way across campus. Behind her, the rest of 3A followed, looking uncomfortably similar to a lynch mob. They were hunting. Hunting a certain class assistant who had had the nerve to gas them all without warning. Caught up in this frenzy was Negi Springfield, trying in vain to calm down the class, though mentally, he too was raging at Luke's heavy handed methods. _That was too harsh! Fair enough, it broke up the fight, but it also affected those not involved! The dean will have to be notified. If he isn't torn apart first that is…_

* * *

Luke rocked back and forth. He was crouched down, biting his lip, thinking properly for the first time in what seemed a lifetime. _When? When did it all go wrong? I came for the world tree. I came for my memory. Memory is what gives a man identity, a place in history. Without it, I am no one, not a ghost, spectre or apparition. I simply do not exist. And at first, I drove towards regaining it, to remembering myself, my place._

_When did it all go wrong?_

_I should be happily sleeping in a nice warm bed somewhere in England, my family close by. I should be going to school and struggling like everyone else. I should be in the parks and houses of friends. I should not know about magic. _

_And yet here I am._

_Huddled in a sewer, looking like some sort of hunted vigilante. Nothing but a deck of cards and a broken pocket watch to my name. Second part-time job in tatters. A pack of blood-hungry teenage girls trying to find me. Another job working with a purveyor of all goods looking suitably distant now. The chance of having a good night's sleep without receiving a knife in the neck even further away. Typical. Only I could get myself in this kind of situation. _

_And I deserve it too._

_If I hadn't been running around, trying out life, I might have already cured my condition and be on my way home. But nooo, I just had to see what I've been missing these past months. Not a heck of a lot. Generally stuff that should be avoided. I mean, mages? Sure, cool, but that opens up a whole new world of dangers. Demons, vampires, werewolves…the list goes on. And girl trouble. Christ. The whole new dimension added to life really isn't worth knowing any females. Endless quarrels, rumours, being dragged into trouble, coming out worse, the endless apologies… _

He had strayed from his path, and paid the price. Getting to the world tree now would be a lot harder than ever.

He glanced up, a tear rolling down his face. _Who am I kidding? The past time I've spent here has been great. Everyone's been so helpful and accommodating. Everyday was another adventure, always something new to learn that couldn't be learned from simply reading books. _He had lived. A sad smile creased his face as he began to slowly hum, rallying his spirit.

"_Always look on the bright side of life…_"

* * *

The mob disseminated eventually, everyone growing tired of looking for the non-existant assistant. They'd looked everywhere, their blazing anger slowly subsiding to smouldering as common sense returned to them. Slowly, the group broke apart, with different girls planning their own unique brand of vengeance. Kazumi was already jotting down notes on police brutality, and Haruna was rushing around spreading rumours. The Narutaki twins were planning booby traps galore, and Mana was considering buying a stronger sedative. As for Negi, his outrage was replaced with concern. True, Luke had gassed his class, but then again his contract hadn't exactly outlined how he was meant to deal with dangerous disagreements. And the youth was his responsibility. Negi couldn't help but worry. He had to worry. Being a teacher was essentially just worry. Still, if he found Luke, he would be torn apart…

Or would he?

Negi suddenly realised Luke's cunning. That damn reflective visor. His altered voice. That teenager had planned for this eventuality. He just had to ditch the armour and he'd be ok…unless he snapped under the danger, like in the library…that was the last thing they needed! Negi sighed in exasperation. He had to find him before that blonde idiot tried anything again. The child prodigy decided to forgive him the gassing, as no actual harm had befallen the class, and the fight had been broken up. The method had just been…unorthodox. Negi actually felt himself beginning to smile. For all his faults, Luke kept his promises. Problem was, he was too good at finding loopholes.

* * *

The youth in question was now wandering down a dark sewer, softly singing to himself as he traversed the oppressive darkness. He rounded a corner, hopelessly lost, but did not care. To be frank, life was crap when one thought about it. But the fun came when you stuffed the facts and got on with it. Luke grinned wryly, remembering an old phrase he had read in the Library oh-so-long ago it seemed….

Life's a journey. Shame about the destination.

He laughed, the sound of his mirth echoing away into the darkness. That shut him up pretty quickly. Luke glanced about, trying to find some sort of ladder to the surface. Suddenly he found himself crossing a bridge over a particularly wide canal.

_The HELL…?! A bridge, underground?! In a sewer?! WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU NEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT?! _

…_alright, being over-dramatic again. Damn, Kotaro was right. I really should think things through more thoroughly…_

The youth's monologue continued as he walked on, not paying any attention as to where he was headed. Which was why he was so surprised when he bumped into a door. Blinking in surprise, the blonde boy studied it. It was a simply grey rectangle of metal with a handle. Nothing special or spectacular about it. Most probably the entrance to a stairwell leading upwards. Still, this was Mahora. One never knew what would happen. So with no small trepidation, Luke reached out and opened the door, leaping to the side in case anything came through. Nothing did.

Feeling slightly safer now, he peeked through the door into the chamber beyond.

And gasped in wonder.

* * *

It was now late evening. Negi was in his office, rubbing his temples furiously. Amazingly, Luke had vanished. Despite being a non-mage, and only being on campus for a couple of weeks, he had managed to vanish as totally as a shadow in midday. Another impressive feat. But beside the point. Not only was Luke needed for reprimanding, but also information extraction. That damned info regarding the hacker was needed by the analysts working on the school mainframe. All threats had to be documented blah blah blah. Negi didn't really understand it. All that techno stuff was best left to Chamo and Chisame. He had his teaching duties after all. He wondered how he was going to explain the entire incident to the dean…

* * *

Luke peeked out. The street was deserted. Brilliant. Pushing away the manhole cover, he dragged himself out. He had ditched the armour not too long ago, hiding it in a funny room full of broken computers he had found in the sewer. He was now wearing a plain black shirt and trousers, covered in grime. He breathed in deeply as soon as he reached fresh air. So sweet when compared to the stink below. For the next five minutes, he just sat there, grinning like an idiot. Eventually, he regained what shreds of common reason he had. Without the armour, he looked nothing like the assistant. So it was safe to return to the dorms. _Good thing too. I smell worse than a rat!_ He stood up and dusted himself off, removing the worst of the grime. Then, happily whistling to himself, he set off for the dorms, a warm meal, shower and good night's sleep.

Yet that abandoned underground classroom continued to gnaw at him. It was simply too strange, even for Mahora, which was saying something.

* * *

"I see," replied the dean evenly. "Well, then I must agree that disciplinary action is in order."

Negi nodded gravely. In the end, he had decided to tell the older faculty members exactly what happened, no exaggerations or lies. They had taken the news surprisingly well. Dean Konoe actually chuckled when he heard about Luke's methods concerning fights. Takahata also let his amusement show.

"I suppose you already have a punishment planned?" asked the adult teacher.

"Indeed," answered the dean, handing another notice to Negi. The young teacher scanned the contents before letting a smile crease his face.

"Luke's going to hate this…"


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

**Lone Noble **

Kaede blinked. It was still early morning, yet she couldn't sleep. With a tired sigh she dropped from her bunk. She groggily peered at the lower bunk, smiling softly. Fuka and Fumika were still fast asleep, huddled together for companionship. Really cute. She stifled a yawn. Despite being unable to sleep, she was still tired. She shook her head to momentarily clear it, and went into the bathroom. A quick shower before venturing out for an early walk. That should help her wake up.

* * *

The sun was rising. A soft, almost pink glow suffused the air. Everything looked so much more precious, as if made from soft pearl. Library Island seemed like it should belong in another age. The great walls. The towers. A place of learning in which you could hold off a besieger for over a year. As if Luke cared. After all, he certainly wasn't planning on assaulting the island. That would be just stupid when he could easily walk in and get what he needed. Still, the sight before him was beautiful, in a strange, eerie way. He sighed and walked on, towards the massive doors. He suddenly paused. _Luke, you idiot. Why the hell would the library be open at this time of day?! _Cursing his own foolishness, he reached for his ever-present pocket watch before remembering that it was still broken. _I really should get round to fixing that thing. I mean, why have a watch that doesn't work?_ He shook his head and resignation and began making his way back to the dorms. He hadn't slept. He hadn't had any kind of rest for two days now. Yet he felt no fatigue. He didn't feel top of his condition either. He just felt as if he could do anything, but only if he had to. It was a strange feeling. _Well, I guess I should be glad for that. It gives me more time to spend. But I have about…2 hours before the library opens, and over 6 hours before I'm due at Mr Izashima's shop. Not exactly a lot to do. _

As he continued walking, he pondered his next course of action. _Seeing as my job as an assistant will most likely be over – and if gassing a class doesn't get me fired I have no idea what will – I'll have a lot of time to devote to studying the world tree. Perfect. With 6 hours worth of studying a day, I should make up for all the time I've lost running around like a headless chicken. _As he continued his thoughts, the sun rose, and the soft pink glow vanished, replaced with the bright light of day. Despite the year drawing to a close, it was still relatively warm. And still Luke felt cold. The youth felt…saddened, as if the ending of a year was something to regret, something to…forget. His eyes went wide and he stopped, horrified at his own thought.

_What is this?! I have no memory of anything before the previous two months and now I'm wishing to forget things I don't even know yet?! WHAT THE HELL?! _He moaned in frustration, grabbing his head. He was thinking too much again. He knew. He could already feel a headache building up. He needed to lie down soon, or risk passing out. The youth stumbled slightly, before collapsing gratefully on a bench. He was breathing heavily, oxygenating his system. Despite being in peak physical condition, these headaches were a constant problem. The funny thing is, they only came on whenever he was thinking too hard about something. An interesting case, unrecorded in medical history. Of course, in the magical world it could be extremely common, but Luke hadn't checked yet. He had more important things to worry about after all. He slowed his breathing and stretched out, throwing his head back and gazing at the blue morning sky. Not a cloud to be seen. Surprising, considering the year was growing older. Then again, Japan wasn't exactly famous for its winters. In England, the sky would already be filled with clouds, ready to disperse their gifts upon the people below.

He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. He tried to visualize a snowflake, a perfect geometric shape crafted by nature, far beyond the ability of humans to reproduce. He sat still for a minute, trying in vain. Eventually he opened his eyes again and sadly continued watching the sky. He couldn't do it. No matter what he tried, he couldn't remember anything from his past life. From time to time he got feelings, shadows of emotions tied to certain places, events, anniversaries. But no images, no sounds. As far as his mind was concerned, he had been alive for two months now. No more, no less. The blonde boy continued watching the infinite sky above, trying to avoid thinking about his woes. There was so much on campus, and all he could think about was himself. A grave error of judgement. Yet, whenever he did get sucked into academy life, he tended to come out of the incident worse for wear. _Though, they sure as heck were memorable in their own little ways_ he thought with a wry smile. And for all the bad experiences, Luke could think of something good that came about to balance them out. _Let's see…trying to commit suicide – invited into the academy. Tricking twenty seven girls into thinking I was dead along with Miss Nagase and promptly being sent to the infirmary – getting to know Miss Nagase better. The cyber incident – Realising that I have a fighting spirit, if not the training. Well, I only have to impose upon this place a bit longer, and then I'll be gone. Home. Interesting how such a word can make one feel so many emotions. Joy, envy, fear. Such is the power of words. But then again, it is when they are sung that they truly become magical…_

"Hello de gozaru," greeted Kaede.

For some reason, the youth wasn't shocked by her sudden arrival. He simply sat up, turning his gaze to her. "Good Morning, Miss Nagase," he replied politely.

"Still so formal? We've known each other for about a month now, and you still act as if we're perfect strangers, de gozaru" she said, smiling softly. "Why?"

Luke as silent for a moment, wording his answer carefully. "I suppose because we still are strangers. After all, one hardly makes friends in a month. And I know little about you, though I'm not surprised. You ninjas are famously secretive."

"Are we now?" queried Kaede, sitting down next to him, still smiling. "And how do you know that?"

"Popular fiction," he answered, staring straight ahead. "Common sense as well. It sort of stands to reason, considering what your tasks tend to be." His voice quivered slightly when referencing the tasks a ninja was required to undertake.

The girl next to him noticed his sudden discomfort. "Something wrong?"

"No," he replied flatly, standing up. His eyes had suddenly become shadowed. "I'll see you," he added, and began to walk away.

"Luke."

He stopped. _This is not going to go well. _He turned and looked at Miss Nagase. She stood up and walked over to him, a concerned look on her face.

"If something's wrong, you should tell others. It eases the burden you have to carry de gozaru," she said, studying his face. He kept his expression neutral.

"And I would also be burdening others with my problems. My code of conduct forbids it."

"Still, sharing sometimes helps," she continued, smiling slightly now. "Why not come with me to the mountains sometime, relax a bit de gozaru."

His control slipped. The youth's eyes went wide. "What?!"

She laughed openly at the look on his face. "Oh come on, the fresh air would do you good! And the hot springs up there are really relaxing…"

Luke gulped as she looked at him with deliberate meaning. _Damn it girl, don't tease me like this! _It took him a moment to find his voice, his previous worries gone in the face of such openness, and the mental image of Miss Nagase in a hot spring. "That's…ah, a tempting offer, but I'm afraid I must decline."

The ninja tilted her head to the side, impressed by his self-restraint. Her trademark smile never left though. "Oh? And why is that?"

Luke grinned slightly, happy with the way the situation was going. After all, an angry Kaede Nagase didn't warrant thinking about. "Well, I'm not fully comfortable with the idea of hiking up some mountainside without proper preparations-"

"Me and the twins go all the time de gozaru."

"- or supervision-"

"We're both mature enough for that aren't we?" she countered again, her smile growing wider as she saw him redden further.

"Why are you so determined to make me come anyway?!" Luke managed to ask, trying to retain some control over himself. _Why the hell is it so hot all of a sudden?! _

"Well, we could get to know each other better, you've been here for almost a month now and we all know barely anything about you. The only four people in the entire dorm have spoken to you properly are me and the cheerleaders. You don't even attempt to get to know anyone else better. You avoid contact with the people surrounding you as much as possible de gozaru. Why?"

The blonde teen just looked at her for a while, trying to work out her thoughts. Eventually he sighed. Closing his eyes, Luke answered softly. "There's no point, that's why. I cannot afford to spend time with you, all my energy is bent towards regaining my memory. As soon as I succeed in that, I will return to England, to my past life. My time here will become nothing more than a dream. I have an obligation to my family, wherever they are. I must return to them. It is hard enough, without reasons for me to stay here," he finished, his voice dwindling into nothing.

The pair stood silently, facing each other.

Kaede's slit-like eyes met his. "You sacrifice much de gozaru," she said eventually, her smile tainted with sadness. She turned around and walked away.

Luke simply stood there, eyes downcast. "Someone has to," he whispered.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

**Considerations Abound**

"So are we set?" asked Fuka.

Fumika nodded eagerly. "Everything's packed for tomorrow, just like you specified Fuka."

The Narutaki twins grinned at each other. Between them lay one massive travel bag, stuffed with various camping equipment, Ninja weaponry, target boards, and several personal belongings of each member of the dormitory. The young girls always looked forwards to their trips with Kaede into the mountains to continue their training, no matter what the circumstances. However, this trip would definitely be a lot more memorable than any other before. Especially with Luke joining them. Both of the twins were already giddy with anticipation at the possibilities presented to them.

"Well, good that's sorted. Now, what about Operation: Vengance?" asked Fuka suddenly in a secretive tone.

Fumika sobered immediately. "Its all going well. Our scouts have already discovered several suitable sites for ambush. However, no lead as to the assitant's identity."

Fuka groaned. "I thought Asakura and Haruna were able to find anything out?"

Fumika nodded in agreement. "Except this apparently. Its got them really worked up, you know how they are about failure."

Fuka acknowledged the comment with a tilt of her head, already trying to get around this difficulty. That assistant…sure he'd probably get fired, but the girls of 3A owed him a farewell present. And they would deliver. Oh yes.

"Fuka, Fumika, could you please refrain from talking during class?"

"Sorry Professor," chirruped the twins.

Negi sighed and turned back to the blackboard, fully aware that as soon as he did so the near silent gossiping would begin again. Who was doing what with who on the weekend. The usual stuff. He could discern Konoka chatting away with Asuna, and the twins were once more muttering something about a weekend trip with Kaede. Negi felt relieved. The class was acting normal despite the gas bombing incident. The fact that Luke had pulled another vanishing stunt seemed to have paid off for all involved. The child teacher wouldn't have to worry about acts of revenge being targeted at his assistant, Luke spends another day free of injury, and the girls can get on with their studies.

Luke. _For all his good intentions, his methods are rather questionable_. He seemed to care only for results, not what was lost for so little gain. As if that wasn't enough, that youth had been in Mahora for barely a month and had already set his position towards the people he works with. On good terms with the teachers, certainly. A more mediocre working relationship with several of the students. And of course nemesis itself for other members of 3A. Negi smiled inwardly. _So much like my first few months teaching here_. Of course, since then, relations with the class had improved considerably, and the memories of past battles with students (Evangeline and Chachamaru immediately sprang to mind) were just that. Memories.

His brow furrowed in concentration as he continued his thoughts whilst writing up the homework. _Come to think of it, those two haven't been in class for almost a week now. I wonder if they're in trouble..._

Negi smiled. The child prodigy seriously doubted that. Master Evangeline was a prodigiously skilled magic user, well versed in spells regarding darkness and ice. She could take care of anything, no problem. _Then why are they skipping classes? Another form of protest against me? Strange, I don't remember annoying Master lately..._

* * *

Behind him, the twins were busy conversing again.

"So are we ready to go?" whispered Fumika eagerly.

Fuka nodded, her eyes too shining with anticipation. She spun in her seat to face ad Kaede and quickly communicated using sign-language.

_We're ready for the trip. Your stuf is packed too. When do we leave?_

_This evening_ signed back the girl ninja.

Kaede had taught the Narutaki twins sign language a while back. It was an essential tool of communication between ninjas during missions, where the slightest noise could ruin everything. The twins mastered it almost at once, seeing its usefulness when sneaking around and eavesdropping. And of course it also came in useful in situations such as this.

Fuka smiled at the thought of learning more of such tricks from her Sensei in the coming trip. And then testing them out on Luke. That gentleman wouldn't argue, she was sure. And anyways, it will only be playing.

Fumika was having similar thoughts to her sister, only she was looking forward more to the trip itself than what she was going to learn during it. It would be like a family outing, something she hadn't been on before. And perhaps something would happen between Kaede and Luke...

* * *

"So are the drinks arranged?"

"Check."

"Music?"

"Check."

"Guest list?"

"Yep."

"Venue?"

"Of course."

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Sakurako quietly, clapping her hands together in delight. "All that's left are the invitations." She turned expectantly to Misa. "I trust that those have been finished?"

"Of course!" replied the long haired girl with an easy grin.

Sakurako turned to Madoka, who was busy ticking off everything required for the ball on a gigantic checklist. "Is that everything?"

"Only our costumes left," answered the calmest of the trio. "But I'm sure those won't be a problem."

"Then we're set?" queried Misa excitedly.

Madoka smiled softly. "Yes."

The Mahora Cheerleading group high-fived silently behind their teacher's back.

* * *

"What you up to this time?" queried Mr Izashima, glancing from his paper.

Luke was sitting in a corner, idly toying with a pocket watch.

"Nothing much," came the reply. "Just pondering why I cannot bring myself to fix this thing," Luke added, raising the watch until the golden surface glittered in the afternoon light.

The older man peered over his glasses at the curiosity. "Have you ever opened it?"

"No, it's broken."

"How do you know its broken if you've never opened it?"

"The lid is stuck fast." The youth raised the watch and studied it closely. "This isn't something that was meant to be opened..." he whispered to himself.

Mr Izashima ruffled his paper and turned the page. "Well, to fix it or not is your decision, but if you have nothing to do, why not go out back and run an inventory?"

"Yes Sir," answered Luke tiredly, pocketing his watch and striding to the back. He glanced at the newspaper his employer was reading as he walked past.

"What's White Day?" he asked off-handedly.

* * *

"So is there any progress?" queried the dean in his signature calm manner.

"None," replied Takahata, shaking his head sadly. "As far as the world is concerned, Luke Mason does not exist. We've checked all records, magical and mundane, and nothing. In this current time, there is no official Luke Mason."

The dean frowned, thinking deeply. "So what does this mean? He is a spy? A demon perhaps?"

Takahata again shook his head. "No. He has been honest with us, that much we know, and his patterns are human, not demonic in any way. It just doesn't fit."

"But…you mentioned him not existing in this time frame. What about the others? They could be him."

The grizzled teacher sighed. "It cannot be him, because to achieve that level of time travel he would have to be a powerful mage, even with a Cassiopeia. Yet our studies of him have revealed no magical potential whatsoever, nor any prior contact with magic before arriving here."

"No potential for magic?" the dean asked, surprised. In his experience, everyone had the potential to learn magic, only at different rates.

His old friend nodded gravely. "He cannot learn magic. There is no magical strength in him whatsoever. The only way for him to gain any powers would be through a pactio."

The dean leaned back, thoughtful. "So all we can do is watch him develop, and monitor his progress. I suppose that will have to do. What about the hacker incident?"

Professor Takahata answered promptly. "Nothing in the way of identification, but we are certain he was targeting information regarding magic, nothing else."

"So he was a mage himself…"

"Him entering cyberspace proved that dean. The thing is that now we need Luke to provide us with data concerning that hacker."

The old man sighed tiredly. "Very well, go and take care of it. This threat must be dealt with swiftly."

Takahata bowed and swept out of the office, leaving the dean alone in the morning light, pondering the consequences of allowing this unknown to stay in the academy.

* * *

The dank air was charged with magic. She could taste it. Summoning rituals always had this kind of effect. Tearing down the barriers between realms always let a tidal wave of magic flow out wildly. She now stood in the middle of such a maelstrom, protected by ancient enchantments. Evangeline McDowell smiled like some feral beast. Weeks of preparation, and now she was about to witness the fruits of her labours. Already she could make out dark shapes forming amongst the turbulent, multi-coloured patterns. The demon she had summoned. Finally she would show those arrogant fools how weak their defences were, and display to the ignorant teachers her full strength. She would save the academy form certain destruction, and as payment, she would have her freedom. Of course, that's if everything went according to plan. But it would, she had come up with this scheme in the first place.

"Come my minion," she said suddenly, full of anticipation. "Come now, and hear your orders."

"As you command, mistress," answered the figure, coming into clear view from the bright clouds.

Evangeline's smile evaporated. "Oh, its you."

"Nice to see you too young lady," replied the demon, taking off his hat and bowing low. "Always a pleasure to be summoned."

The vampire simply glared at him. "I was expecting something a little stronger," she hissed coldly.

"I am strong. You just haven't realised it yet."

"Last time you fought that brat he beat you rather easily."

"Is that what this is all about? Giving me a rematch against him?"

"Perhaps. If he decides to intervene you could possible end up fighting him, but that's not the point! I tried to summon some high level demon and what do I get?! You?!"

"Indeed. A high-level demon, just as requested."

Evangeline growled in barely contained fury. "Whatever. Now will you do my bidding or not?!"

Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrman smiled as he kneeled before the young girl. "You summoned me, mistress. I obey you. What are your orders?"


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**Sown Seeds**

"The view is beautiful from here," admitted Kaede with a smile. The entire campus was visible form her current vantage point. The setting sun rendered the image like some kind of painting, idyllic and peaceful. Fumika stared in wonder at the beautiful view, whilst Fuka was busy shouting down over the ledge on which they were standing.

"Hurry up! We haven't got all day you know!"

"I'm...going...as...fast...as...I...can!" Luke managed to gasp out, dragging himself up the unforgiving mountainside. The fact that he was carrying the entire luggage didn't help either. They'd all been climbing now for about two hours, and showed no signs of stopping. _Well, good for them, they haven't got several tons of equipment slowing them down_ he thought viciously, grinding his teeth in anger. He knew his fury was only temporary, brought on by circumstance. When looking back on this, Luke was sure it would be with a smile and laugh at how he always ended up doing most of the manual labor. But right here, right now, he was one small move away from death. One loose rock to grip and he would plummet all the way back down to the bottom. Painful enough as that is, the girls had decided it would be fun to start climbing above a thicket of brambles. _Someone's got it in for me, I'm sure of it._

Luke still couldn't quite believe how he had ended up like this. Only this afternoon he was happily wasting time by playing cards with Mr Izashima, talking about holidays and other special anniversaries in Japan. Then all of a sudden Miss Nagase and the Narutaki twins came in, told him they were all going on a camping trip to the mountains, and dragged him from the shop. And now here he was. The youth rolled his eyes. Great.

Fumika joined her sister in peering over the ledge. "Luke! You alright down there?" she shouted, a note of worry in her voice. The struggling lad grinned slightly. _Well, at least someone's worried about my welfare..._

"I'm alright so far. I think I should be able to make it to you in the next ten minutes!"

"It'll be dark by then!" replied Fuka, clearly impatient. "Geez, what a slow guy."

"Strong though," countered her twin.

Fuka shrugged in response and turned around. "What do you think, Kaede?"

The kunoichi strode over to the small pair and glanced down as well. She frowned slightly. "I think you overdid it," she said eventually.

Fuke huffed and sat back, looking away from the ledge. "Well you said so yourself, to be worthy of training one has to pass difficult trials."

"I was referring to the obstacles I had set up on the path."

The twins glanced at each other, sweat dropping. "Ah."

* * *

Chisame awoke with a start. She sat up, rubbing her eyes furiously. She had dozed of in front of her computer again. The long haired girl sighed. She hadn't had a proper sleep in almost a week, preoccupied as she was with cleaning up her life after the whole hacker thing. She had been continuously pressed to answer questions regarding the techno-mage, forced to recall everything she could until they left her alone. That had been three days ago. Only now was she getting around to deleting all the files relating to magic on her laptop. Instead, she would keep those stored on a USB she always carried around, for safe keeping. As if that wasn't enough, her room still stank of dried blood, despite her scrubbing the entire dormitory clean several times over.

_Who'd have known Luke could hold so much of the stuff!?_ She sighed again. _He really is an idiot. Going through so much for me. He should've just got a message through to the mainframe computers, and let the Academy staff sort it out. _Yet he hadn't. Against common sense, he'd come back for her, as promised. Chisame had been grateful for that, but only just. Mostly she was furious at him for acting so recklessly_. So he had kept his word! So what?! Look at where it got him! Intensive care with barely any blood left inside! He barely made it! If Konoka hadn't managed to heal him then...then..._ It wasn't worth thinking about. Someone's life lost because of her was a far from comforting thought. And despite everything, she had gone and visited him in the infirmary. She still wasn't sure why. Perhaps because, despite his amnesia, he was the only person she knew who was remotely normal.

She yawned and walked to the window. Leaning against the sill, Chisame Hasegawa watched the day darken, her thoughts plagued by a blonde youth.

* * *

A hand shot up and grabbed the ledge. Fuka yelped in shock, whilst Fumika just gasped. Kaede shook her head at the over-reactions of the startled twins, smiling as Luke finally hauled himself up. For a minute he just lay there, eyes closed, panting.

"Not too bad de gozaru," said the girl eventually, walking away to find a place to set up camp.

Luke's eyes fluttered open. "Eh?"

The twins glanced at each other, sharing a giggle.

The blonde sat up and glared at them. Pitching his voice in a high whine, he said, "We know a shortcut. Don't worry, everything'll be alright." His voice returned to normal. "Shortcut my ass! It took me two bloody hours to clamber up here!" He stood up shakily, trying to balance the mammoth bag strapped to his back. The twins were stifling their laughter as he swayed like a drunkard.

"S-s-sorry," Fumika manage to choke out, smiling broadly. "We forgot you were going to be carrying the entire luggage. Normally, it only takes about half an hour to climb up that slope."

"Yeah, sorry," added Fuka, showing her own amusement at Luke's antics.

He spared them another glare before tramping off after Kaede.

* * *

"Come on, we haven't got a lot of time left!" cried Sakurako, bouncing around, full of energy.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm doing this as fast as I can," replied Madoka, perched precariously atop a ladder, trying some balloons to one of the floodlights in the theatre.

Holding the tottering ladder was Misa, who threw Sakurako a dark look as she queried, "Why aren't you helping too?"

The energetic teenager paused momentarily, looking back at her friends with a smile. "I am helping!" she replied, holding up the streamers she was putting up on all the walls for emphasis. Madoka finished tying the balloons as Misa sighed in exasperation. Sliding down, the husky voiced cheerleader turned to her two friends, grinning.

"All preparations complete!" she said victoriously, clapping her hands together. "We're all set!"

"Great!" exclaimed Sakurako, bouncing over to the other two-thirds of the Mahora Cheerleading Trio. "So all that's left are the invitations and costumes!"

"This is going to be the best party we've thrown yet!" cried Misa in delight, already considering all the cute costumes she could put on her classmates. Her friends glanced at each other, knowing full well what was going through the pink haired girls mind. Nervous smiles were all that betrayed of their worry for whatever scheme Misa was already considering on the topic of costumes.

Knowing it to be best to be taken care of sooner rather than later, Sakurako spoke up. "So, uh, what costumes are you planning Misa?"

The girl in question turned to her friends with a laugh. "It's a secret!" she winked at them. Madoka shook her head at this childishness, smiling nonetheless, whilst Sakurako whined "No fair!"

"Never mind then," shrugged Madoka. "What about music? We still need a song list for what we're going to play."

"True. But that should be easy, after all, it won't be the first time we've done a concert gig!" pointed out Misa, with an approving nod from Sakurako. "Which reminds me, we need to tell Ako about this so she can get ready."

"Oh yeah…" said Sakurako sheepishly.

"But it's always nice to have some variety in a show, right? We only know so many songs after all," countered Madoka.

"You're only saying that. We both know you just want to – MMMPPPHHH?!" Sakurako mumbled in surprise as Madoka clamped a hand over her mouth. Misa laughed openly as the pigtailed cheerleader tried to tear Madoka's hand away from her mouth to reveal some piece of gossip she was itching to say.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

**Training?! Me!?**

"Wake up!"

Something prodded him. He mumbled slightly and rolled over.

"It's no good. He's out like a rock."

"Then can I- ?"

A sigh. Then a chuckle.

"Go ahead."

Then wetness splashed over him. Spluttering Luke managed to sit up before the temperature of the water hit him. He let out a screech and grabbed his face, trying to blot out the pain.

"…OK, that was stupid."

"Woke him up though."

Luke was now rolling on the floor, whimpering.

Five minutes passed before he looked up, on the verge of tears. "Why?"

Fuka glanced at him, still holding the bucket over her head. She smiled sheepishly. "Well, you wouldn't wake up, and so…"

The drenched youth shook his head violently, stifling a sob. "Not that, why was it boiling water?!"

Fumika looked at her sister accusingly. Her twin simply sweatdropped and glanced at the bucket. As if on cue, Kaede came from behind the tent, frowning.

"Anyone know where the heated water for breakfast is?"

The twins just gaped at her, whilst Luke groaned. The whole incident was beyond lame.

* * *

"Well, now that everyone's awake," said Kaede, decked out in her training outfit. "We'll begin."

In front of her stood the twins, straight and at attention, hanging on to her every word. Behind them, like some sort of specter from a fairy tale, stood Luke, rubbing his face with a damp cloth, muttering to himself.

"Something wrong de gozaru?" asked Kaede, staring at Luke.

He stammered slightly at being addressed directly. "Erm, yes. Why do I have to do this?"

She smiled playfully. The young man was sure he felt himself shiver. "What else would you do up here? Might as well learn something new, correct?"

"One of the baka rangers lecturing me about learning, sheesh."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

"Good, then we'll begin. First lesson, a ninja knows stealth."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

The twins looked up at him and signaled for him to be quiet. He just shrugged his shoulders and lapsed into silence.

Kaede was smiling though. "No, Mr Mason. A ninja can only achieve true stealth by being one with their surroundings. All places have a pulse, a way of existing. We, who walk in shadow, know these pulses and so are better able to conceal ourselves."

Fuka nodded, impatient for the actual training, whilst Fumika was jotting down notes in a handbook. Luke simply scratched his head, not comprehending.

"Eh?"

"I'll demonstrate." With that, the tall girl walked from the clearing and into the tree line. Then she just vanished. Fuka oohed whilst Fumika aaahed. Luke's eyes widened momentarily, before sparkling with merriment.

"Very good, most impressive Miss Nagase."

"Kaede, please," she said, dropping form the shadowed canopy to his right.

The twins cheered and rushed to her side, eager to try the same feat. Luke hung back. He was still an outsider to their little training group. But he was impressed. Miss Nagase had managed to totally vanish and move without detection anywhere she needed. A useful talent indeed.

The kunoichi looked up at him, her smile still there. "Right, now its time to see how well you can do."

_Ah_

"I'll give you five minutes to conceal yourselves. Winner is the one who is discovered last."

"What do we win?" asked Luke sarcastically.

"Well, the twins normally get something sweet to eat during dinner, but for you I'm sure we can come up with something," answered Kaede, emphasizing the last statement.

Luke stared at her and swallowed, feeling himself turn slightly red. _That's not what she meant! Pervert! _his mind seemed to scream.

"So, er, what other restrictions are there?" he asked to fill the silence. The twins seemed to be trying to work out Miss Nagase's statement.

"None. Just don't get caught," replied the oldest girl. She looked at him quizzically. "Was there some confusion?"

"No, but just remember you said that."

She looked at him for a second more, then shrugged. "Very well de gozaru. You have five minutes. Good luck."

The twins squeaked and sped off into the woods, eager to win what seemed to Luke an elaborate game of hide and seek. The youth stood there for a moment, decided _what the hell?_ and trekked off after them, leaving Kaede alone in the clearing.

* * *

10 minutes later…

* * *

"Do I get a consolation prize?" asked Fuka feebly.

Kaede shook her head. "You are improving though. You beat your previous record by a minute."

Fuka smiled slightly, and next to her Fumika was mumbling something about it being unfair.

"If you took your training more seriously, you could reach my level in a matter of months," pointed out Kaede. "The fact that Luke's beaten you proves you aren't trying."

Fumika turned red and looked at her feet, embarrassed. Fuka was similarly cowed.

"But he has…erm…beginner's luck!" said Fuka, looking up at her mentor with big eyes. "And he's older than us, so he'd obviously beat us at this!"

Kaede laughed. "Alright, don't use the whimpering young girl trick on me, you know it doesn't work."

Fuka huffed and stuck out her tongue. Kaede just smiled, entertained by her childishness. Fumika looked up, smiling sheepishly.

"Can't blame us for trying though," said the mild mannered twin.

"Of course," replied the older girl, keeping a straight face. "How about this then, if you can find Luke, you'll win your treats."

The twins glanced at each other. Without another word, they ran into the forest, calling out Luke's name. Kaede laughed softly. _Those two have spirit, if not innate skill. _

_Now where's Luke run off to?_

* * *

It was afternoon when they found him. Or to be more precise, it was late afternoon when he came back.

"What do you mean you got bored and went home?!"

* * *

That afternoon, they began the second lesson. The twins would practice their aim with their shurikens. Luke would train his skills in avoiding hostile missiles. In other words, he was the twins' target.

_Crap! _

Twisting his body around, he saw the sharp metal star fly past his face, barely an inch away. Fuka was good. He barely saw that one coming. He pushed away from the ground, avoiding another star aimed at the wooden plate strapped to his thigh. Miss Nagase wasn't so heartless as to make him a proper target. Pieces of wood were strapped to random parts of his anatomy, the twins' targets. His task was to make it difficult for them to hit. Considering that they were still learning, and that there was a good chance they might throw a shuriken where they shouldn't, Luke wasn't about to go easy on them.

_Why did I agree to this!?_

At first it seemed odd, but easy enough. Of course, he'd somehow forgotten that the twins were in peak physical condition. They were keeping up with him and flinging the damn stars about like pros. He was seriously impressed. And of course, slightly nervous. Heck, with his luck, who wouldn't be!? Another metal star whizzed past his ear. He yelped and dived face first into the ground.

"Sorry!" he heard Fumika yell, worry in her voice.

He sprang up from the ground, tasting blood. "Its ok!" he answered, running again. "Looks like your aim is still off. Try to put less spin on next time!"

"Teaching my students now?" he heard a playful female voice say from somewhere above. He glanced up. Perched in between two branches, directly above him, was Miss Nagase. She had shurikens in her hand.

"Aw shi-"

* * *

Later that evening…

* * *

"Erm, so who won in the end?" Luke asked, chewing on a piece of roasted fish Kaede had caught earlier.

She looked up from her meal. "I'd have to say it was the twins. They were the first ones to see you this afternoon, and as for the shuriken practice…I'd say everyone won."

Luke raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at the twins. "You agree with that?"

"Well, you managed to evade us for over five minutes, and in the end, all three of us hit you at the same time…" started Fumika, looking up at the blonde youth.

"I could've guessed," he replied, absently rubbing the bandage on his shoulder. Fumika blushed and looked away guiltily.

"Anyway," said Fuka suddenly, filling the awkward silence, "what did we win?"

Kaede simply smiled and reached into her bag. Quick as a flash she threw something their way. The twins pounced on the offering and squealed in delight. Luke caught a glimpse of wrapper before the twins were stuffing themselves with the sweets. He sweat dropped. It was like watching a pair of sharks during a feeding frenzy.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but what did I win? A booby prize?"

"My, I didn't you were that perverted," answered Kaede, her smile spiced with mischief.

Luke nearly choked on the piece of fish he was eating. "THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!!" But the damage was done. Kaede was laughing and the twins were dancing around him chanting "Pervert! Pervert!"

Luke felt himself growing red. He groaned and buried his face in his hands. What a way to end such a bizarre day. Though he supposed it was nice in its own little way, despite his injuries. After all, he had spent some quality time with Miss Nagase and the twins, and not exactly having spent a lot of time with others, he had to admit, he relished this new experience. If this was day one, then what would tomorrow bring?


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

**Wilhelm's Comeback**

The World Tree Plaza was unnaturally silent that Sunday morning. Normally it would have been bustling with students and staff members enjoying their weekend, but today only a single figure stood there, the wind rustling his black coat. Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrman's smile was visible on his shadowed face. This task was going to be so much easier without any innocents running around. He raised his right arm and clicked his fingers. Instantaneously, a small ball of pure darkness came into form, no larger than a marble. As he began walking away from the plaza, he smiled in anticipation of encountering Negi again. At the bottom of the steps leading to the World Tree, the high-level demon flicked the dark marble over his shoulder with another click of his fingers. The ball arced in the air and landed perfectly in the centre of the plaza before exploding, with ethereal energy. The blast roared throughout Campus, startling birds from their branches and momentarily deafening those too close to the World Tree. Wilhelm smiled his predatory smile and crossed his arms; the ground behind him shaking violently as if struck by an earthquake. Anyone with any magic sense would even now be feeling the repercussions of that blast. All he had to do know was wait.

* * *

Negi sprang awake, falling from his bed into a fighting crouch like Ku Fei had taught him. But there was nothing. The room was empty. Asuna had probably gone to deliver papers whilst Konoka went off somewhere with Setsuna. Then why did his ears ring? A glance in the direction of the window pushed such trivialities from his mind. His eyes wide in shock, Negi dove towards the window and leaned out as far as his height would allow. A cloud of dirtied smoke was emanating from the World Tree Plaza. By anyone's standards, that wasn't good. The smoke obscured all details, no matter how hard Negi tried to glimpse into its murky depths. He glanced about and felt himself go numb. All the windows facing the Plaza were open, and had at least two people leaning out and watching the scene in horror. If that explosion was magic-related, this could end up being very bad…

Wasting no more time, Negi dressed himself, grabbed his staff and sprinted from his dormitory.

* * *

The blast echoed through the woods, startling one of the deadliest members of 3A. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and she leapt up from branch to branch, finally emerging above the canopy and getting a clear view of the problem. As soon as she caught sight of the blaze swallowing the World Tree Plaza, she swore under her breath and dropped to the ground, drawing her twin pistols. She knew something like this would happen sooner or later. The dean had been over confident with the new security precautions, and was now going to pay the price. Of course, because he was her employer, she couldn't afford that and so resignedly began to make her way hastily towards the flames flickering in the distance.

Effortlessly dodging tree trunks as she sped towards ground zero, Mana Tatsumiya's thoughts once more turned to the, frankly amazing, ignorance of some of the members of her class. _After so much has happened, the vampire incident, the haunting, the Mahorafest, and they still don't believe in magic. Truly, they are like ignorant children. _It made her miss the company of others like her. Kaede immediately came to mind. Her assistance in this would be most useful in case of any…unexpected developments. The sniper pulled out her phone and dialed in the kunoichi's number. Today was going to be an interesting day, one way or another.

* * *

High in the mountain's. Kaede awoke to an insistent ringing. She looked around the tent. Light was visible outside, and the twins were peacefully asleep in the sleeping bag next to hers. Luke was nowhere to be seen. Big surprise there. Still that ringing! With a tired sigh the girl reached out and grabbed her phone from her traveling bag. Stifling a yawn, she answered.

"Yes? Oh, hi…er, what?...Look, I've just awoken so…what do you mean, 'How could you sleep through that?'!?...alright, I'll be over as soon as possible de gozaru." She turned her phone off and yawned once more. Damn, Sundays were always busy. Rubbing her eyes, she stood up and went outside, stretching her stiff muscles. Glancing about, she noticed Luke standing right on the edge of the mountainside, arms crossed, staring at a column of black smoke drifting upwards. She started towards him but froze once she glimpsed his eyes. Cold, hard, furious. So different than what she had expected of the youth.

"Luke?"

He looked over his shoulder at her.

"You're going there, aren't you?" he asked, indicating the tower of black smoke that had replaced the World Tree Plaza. She managed to restrain her surprise, merely nodding.

"Mana asked me to go with her and check it out, just in case."

Luke looked away and stared at the site of the explosion. He seemed to reach a decision, because when he turned back, he was smiling like his old self.

"Well, sounds like you need someone to take care of the twins while you're away!"

* * *

Herrman yawned in boredom. He was now sitting down, waiting for the first mage to make it to the scene. It was taking a lot damn longer than he had thought. It looked like Master McDowell was right. The security and responses of this Academy were woefully lacking. Good thing for them that he wasn't some blood crazed maniac. If a rogue demon, or one intending harm had attacked, Wilhelm figured around 30 of the Academy's population would be out of action, either dead or seriously wounded. He sighed and stood up, looking at a pleasant little plaza with a stunning view of the World Tree.

"So it's you again," he heard a male voice say. Wilhelm smiled.

"So it is. May I just say, it's an honor to be battling you first, Death Glare."

Wilhelm turned around and looked at the speaker. Takahata stared back, an easy smile on his face, his hands in his pockets.

"Are you sure you want to battle me?" asked the man.

Wilhelm just laughed. "When I fought Negi, I thought it unsporting to use my full potential. However, against you, I think it would balance things out."

"Then let's get started," replied the teacher, smiling slightly.

"My kind of opponent," began Wilhelm, casting his coat open, adopting his fighting stance. "Doesn't waste time with banter," he finished.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One**

**Red Alert**

Smiling in anticipation, Wilhelm charged the teacher. Takahata also smiled and leapt to meet the attack. They neared each other. With a striking immediacy, Wilhelm stopped and swung his foot in a wide arc at the incoming teacher. Professor Takahata just bent double and ducked beneath the vicious kick, getting within the demon's defense. A swift blow hurled the Graf skywards. With s simple twist, his air-borne foe faced him.

"Most impressive! Iaiken, is it not? Only to be expected of the infamous Death Glare!" commented Wilhelm, clapping. "But you'll need to do better than that!" And suddenly he was no longer flying upwards. He was falling directly at the mage.

"You really do talk a lot for a demon," replied Takahata non-chalantly. He inhaled deeply, eyes closed, savoring the taste of his cigarette. When he opened his eyes again, Wilhelm was a lot closer than before. Just in range actually. With barely a thought, he sent two more iaiken punches in the direction of the creature. The assailant just smiled coldly and spun out of the way. Takahata whistled in admiration, jumping backwards as the plummeting demon landed, punching into the ground where he had been standing scant moments before. The flagstones shattered, throwing up a great cloud of dust.

"Still, your strength and agility are truly advanced," finished Takahata, smiling again. "Guess I'll have to up the ante." He cast his arms wide, gathering energy. In his right, magic, and in his left, ki.

The dust was settling. Wilhelm's dark outline was clearly visible, pure black against the brown dust swirling around him. Two yellow sparks burned where his eyes should have been. "Kanka power? Now this _is _going to be interesting…" The Graf grinned, adopting his favored boxing stance. The teacher did not reply, just put his hands back in his pockets. They stood there, silently, each eyeing up the other, waiting for the other to act.

Wilhelm took the initiative. Smirking now, he charged the impassive teacher once more. So like Death Glare. So calm, collected. Never unleashing his full potential. No demon had ever come close to making him unleash it. Until today. The Graf twirled to his left, anticipating the iaiken punch perfectly. He felt the pressure of his opponent's fist miss him by an inch, blowing his coat backwards as the displaced air whirled around him. Paying it no heed, he closed the remaining distance between them with a single bound, catching the teacher unprepared. Not wasting this golden opportunity, the demon hurled his fist upwards in a brutally effective uppercut, catching Takahata on the chin. Now it was the man's turn to fly upwards.

The demon grinned, leaping up after his opponent. Only when he was at point blank range did he realize his mistake. He managed to cross his arms in front of him in defense before being swatted out of the sky by a kanka blast.

The teacher turned his body around and laded nimbly in the pasture, on the other side of the Plaza. "Such a waste," he sighed as Wilhelm crashed into the ground behind him. Takahata turned around, shaking his head. "That Plaza had a great history, and you just had to go and vandalize it…"

"Got your attention though, didn't it?" retorted the demon, hurtling from the crater he had left in the immaculately tended lawn. He lashed out with his foot again, but the teacher's hand shot up and caught it. Wilhelm just laughed as he kicked himself off the ground with his other leg before using it to deliver a thundering kick into Death Glare's face.

The man was thrown backwards across the plain, blood running from his broken nose. He skidded to a halt just before he reached the Plaza. Professor Takahata looked up at his opponent, who was already in front of him. A right hook caught him in the side of the face, making the blood streaming from his nose splatter on to the grass like morning dew. Smiling victoriously, Wilhelm threw another punch, only for it to meet with Takahata's iaiken punch. The resultant blast of energy hurled the two apart.

"Truly, Death Glare, you are a worthy opponent," coughed Wilhelm, raising himself from the torn up pasture. Further thought functions ceased as he was once more crushed by a kanka blast. He had been too complacent, allowing his enemy to take the initiative. He lay in the blown crater, to avoid alerting his foe. He scanned the surrounding area…there! And with no further thought, the Graf vacated his foxhole as another kanka blast fell, throwing chunks of earth skywards.

Whilst his enemy was the infamous Death Glare, member of the Crimson Wings, he was still only human. The demon launched himself into the air again, narrowly avoiding a horizontal kanka blast form his enemy. He landed and sprang forward, punching Takahata in the face once more. The teacher turned his head away as the fist connected, robbing the blow of much of its impact. His glasses shattered, and blood was gushing form his shattered nose and a vivid gash on his forehead.

At close range, he was at a disadvantage. Realizing this, Takamichi Takahata blasted the demon away from himself with an iaiken followed immediately by a kanka blast. His opponent was hurled with such force that there was an audible crack when he collided with the trunk of the World Tree.

"Who sent you?" demanded the bleeding teacher.

"You know who she is." Answered the demon flatly, flying at him again. Takahata simply side stepped, drawing upon his reserves of energy. One on one, he couldn't defeat this demon. But if he could keep it occupied long enough for back up to arrive, then this foe could be driven off before he could harm any of the students.

"Don't waste your time with thought," interrupted the Graf, lashing out again, the mage easily ducking beneath the high kick.

But he hadn't expected for Wilhelm to continue it, turning full circle and driving his boot into the man's midsection. Breath driven out of him, Takahata gasped for air, dropping his defenses momentarily. This time, there would be no respite. Blow after merciless blow forced Takahata to his knees, his iaiken protecting from the worst of the blows. Then, a vicious punch got in under his guard, and sent him sprawling onto the ground, winded.

"This has been most fun," laughed the demon, removing his hat and flicking off a speck of dust. He walked over to the Professor, and solemnly added, "But orders are orders." Wilhelm's mouth opened, and a light cast its baleful illumination on the stunned teacher. Silence descended.

It was shattered by a single gunshot.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

**Equilibrium's Hand**

A single shot can change history.

That was the thought running through Mana Tatsumiya's mind as she took aim with her pistol, eyes narrowed. At this range, a scope was pointless. She could clearly see the demon, standing over Professor Takahata. That sapping spell it had pulled of whilst punching the mage had paid off. Whilst short lasting, it gave an opening to exploit. And she was there to deny that. Her finger tightened on the trigger as the black clad figure removed his hat. Her hand became rock still as she regulated her breaths. Just a small tremor in the body would ruin a perfect shot. She had the head of the demon in her sights. Right here, right now. Kill shot. Time slowed as she pulled the trigger.

A single shot echoed around the World Tree.

* * *

The Graf was hurled from Takahata with sudden force. He hit the ground hard and rolled, clutching the left side of his face. Blood was streaming from between his fingers for a second before closing.

His opponent had managed to regain his footing in this time, and was gently wiping away the congealed blood from his face, his wounds also fully healed. The kanka power was now truly flowing through him. Takahata reached into his suit's inner pocket and pulled out another pair of glasses, identical to the ones he had been wearing, and carefully put them on. Wilhelm removed his hand from his face, fully repaired now, and resumed his combat stance. The mage also adopted his preferred stance again. Both were looking perfectly healthy, as if the previous exchange had never happened.

"I underestimated you," said the teacher, his ever-present smile gone. "I won't make that mistake again."

"Then no more games! Let us fight like real men!" The demon's smile was that of a feral beast. He shifted his weight slightly, anticipating the next move of his enemy.

Takahata did not bother replying. The need for words was over. His kanka was in full flow. With a single step, he was in front of his assailant. He saw the shock just register on Wilhelm's face before striking him upwards with a lightning-quick iaiken. Not giving him time to recover, the mage crushed the demon in between two kanka blasts, before following with another kanka, this time aimed downwards, driving the demon into the soft ground, sending shockwaves out in all directions. Takahata's glare was truly that of Death itself. Cold, hard, emotionless.

"**Demon Punch!**"

A blast not unlike a kanka caught him full on in the chest, chucking him upwards like a child's toy. He grunted in slight pain, his enhanced endurance shrugging off the worst of the blow.

"Demon magic…" he muttered, staring down at Wilhelm. The Graf was standing up again, still not harmed, arms crossed.

"You know, we aren't getting anywhere with this," the demon said simply, launching itself into the air again. Two demon punches were hurled at the mage.

Without any exertion, Takahata turned in mid-air, falling in between the blasts, answering with a pair of kanka blasts. As much as he disliked admitting it, the demon was right. They were too evenly balanced. Something else would be needed to break this stalemate.

* * *

The woods were silent that day, as if nature itself was struck silent by the audacious attack against Mahora. Here and there one could catch the sound of air being displaced, or a shaken branch losing its leaves. All the tell-tale signs of a ninja's passing. Kaede Nagase was moving through the canopy like a ghost, gone before anything could register her passing. Nothing showed on her face, betraying her inner thoughts. _Mana's tone…the request…so unlike her_. She blinked. It really was unlike Mana to ask for backup. But whenever she did…it meant trouble. A bad kind of trouble. Factor in a fire happily burning in the World Tree Plaza and you essentially had a full scale emergency. Seriously not good, and as well as that…

Had she done the right thing, leaving the twins alone with Luke? Or was it Luke alone with the twins? Either way, she was having doubts. _His look earlier, when he saw the commotion…it wasn't him. Or perhaps it was, a piece of his old self? _She pushed such thoughts from her mind. If it was a piece of his old self returning, then it could only be a good thing, him regaining his memory. But the Luke she knew was so much more entertaining, and put up with everything thrown at him with good grace and...

_Wait a minute, where am I going with this?! _

* * *

"Come on, we don't have all day!"

"Why…do…I…always…have…to…carry…all…the…luggage!" Luke gasped out, heaving the sack on his shoulders into a more comfortable position.

"Because you're the strongest one here silly!" answered Fumika as if it was obvious. Well, actually it was, but it didn't make the sack any less heavy. Luke groaned. He should've known something was wrong as soon as the twins agreed wholeheartedly to his proposal to return to the dorms. Without Miss Nagase there wasn't much point in remaining there after all. He glanced at the backs of the twins, happily skipping along the path in front of him. In the short time he had known them, the blonde had to admit he had taken a certain liking to the mischievous pair. Their antics were like the nuisances of little sisters. It was a feeling Luke treasured. Not having any recollection of his own family, he enjoyed the little moments which almost made it seem as if he had one.

He sighed in content. For all the trouble they caused, the twins were rather special to him in the end. As was Miss Nagase. Luke smiled. He wouldn't admit it, yet he still had the photo Kotaro had given him so long ago now. The youth had no idea why he kept it, yet it was nice to have a little memento from what turned out to be quite an entertaining day. Of course, perhaps he had another reason why he kept it but obviously, his quest for remembrance, for his past, did not allow him a future. Not yet anyway. So everything else was secondary.

_A pity really. It would have been most interesting if_-

Luke froze, surprised at his own train of thought.

_Eh?! Hang on, where the heck am I going with this?! _


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

**Escalating Engagement**

This was starting to get boring. Mana sat in the bushes, her rifle leaning against a convenient tree stump. Her clear eyes studied the scene before her intently. Both fighters were just standing there, glaring at each other.

_Some kind of mage mental battle? _she thought, perplexed, though her face betrayed nothing. The black clad stranger was standing stoically, arms crossed. Professor Takahata was looking as if he had just caught two students fighting. Hands in pockets with a disapproving look on his face. Nothing moved. It was like watching an oil painting. Mana sighed. When she had decided to partake in this fight, she didn't know that her current ammunition would be next to useless against the foe. The demon had brushed off a head shot from a banishing bullet as if it was just a mosquito bite. Still, it distracted him for 2.3 seconds. On the battlefield, that could prove fatal. She picked up her rifle and took aim again. Even a distraction could prove lethal…

"Takahata!"

The teacher's eyes fluttered briefly to the speaker. A distraction. And with it, came defeat. Wasting no time with banter, Wilhelm threw down his hat and unleashed an S-level petrification at his opponent. His mouth yawned open, impossibly so, and a single blinding ray of light streaked at the teacher, too fast to dodge. With no other option, Death Glare did the only thing he could. He shielded himself.

There was a gasp as the ray of light impacted on the barrier, blinding in its intensity.

Then a young male voice cried out.

"**Septentrīgintā Spīritūs Lūcis Coeuntēs Sagittent Inimīcum! Sagitta Magica! Series Lūcis**!**"**

Laughing wildly, Wilhelm spun full circle, letting thirty-seven arrows of light flash past harmlessly, and then dropping into a crouch as the arrows arced back over him. Tired of the game, he kicked off from the ground, the attack spell finally hitting where he had been scant moments before, turning the remaining patch of greenery on the pasture into a smoking crater.

"Most impressive Negi! You're power has improved!"

"Why are you here?!" demanded the child teacher, slightly breathless form his Herculean sprint. Takahata was regaining his footing, momentarily stunned from such an extreme use of kanka in such a short amount of time. Wilhelm hardly cared. Negi was his opponent now.

"Why am I here? I was ordered here! The fact I have penetrated so far into your precious Academy proves that this place's defences are a joke. You only have yourself to blame."

"Liar," growled a voice filled with exhaustion. Wilhelm glanced at the older man.

"So you survived that petrification after all Death Glare. I'm not surprised. But how much kanka did you use in that shield?" he finished with a smirk. This was more like it. Two great opponents and him. This was the way true demon's battled!

"Time to up the ante," grinned the Graf, turning his attention back to the fighters arrayed against him. _Time for a true battle!_ With that thought, hefinally cast aside his humane form. His coat fluttered and engulfed him like a shroud. The blackness parted, now as wings, and the high level demon stared impassively at his foes, his eyes just two bright specks within a consuming darkness. "Let's see your true potential!"

Mana smiled softly. One rarely was privileged to such a spectacle. She had always known Professor Takahata was strong, but not to such an extent. Blocking an s-level petrification itself was worthy of legend. But to continue fighting in such a weakened state…truly admirable. Of course, now that Professor Springfield had arrived, things were sure to reach a swift resolution and-

"Is this why you called me out here, de gozaru? Our assistance seems hardly necessary."

Not turning around, Mana answered the kunoichi just behind her. "Still, the tides of battle are ever shifting. We may need to influence them at points for this to come to a satisfactory resolution."

There was a sigh. "Somehow, I can't help but think that by helping you with this problem has created another one entirely."

"What do you mean?" replied the sniper, casually ignoring the blasts now occurring on the pasture as the fighters began brawling again.

"I left Luke alone with the twins."

Mana was silent for a moment. "That is not something to worry about. The twins can take care of themselves easily enough."

"It's not them I'm worried about though."

* * *

"Afternoon."

"Hello Sir. I'm glad to see that you're alright."

Izashima glanced over his paper at the door. His assistant stood there, leaning heavily against the door frame, panting. An enormous rucksack was strapped to his shoulders, and in front of him were two small girls, gazing around the shop in wonder.

"Those your illegitimate love children?" chuckled the elderly shop keeper, enjoying how the blonde youth's face quickly turned an interesting shade of red.

"N-no! They're my room mates! What the heck made you think they were my children!?"

"Well, your fling with Kaede and all…" replied Izashima, grinning his toothy grin.

The twins shared a glance at each other and giggled whilst Luke groaned. Nearly a week on, Mr Izashima was still pulling his leg about the whole rumour incident. And for some reason, it still bothered him. It was quite silly actually, after all, all that was in the past. Yet it still irritated Luke no end.

"For the last time, nothing happened between me and that kunoichi, and nothing will. My insurance does not cover ninja-related 'accidents', and my debt with the infirmary is large enough thanks to Kotaro. Understood, Sir?"

The elderly man just smiled and turned back to his paper. Luke sighed and walked over to the counter, dumping the damned bag behind it. It made an audible crash as it landed. The lad winced as his employer threw him a mock black look, before throwing his paper down.

"Alright, where did you go? What did you do?" he asked. They had fallen into this custom a while back, him and Luke providing each other with what they did not have. A father and son.

Luke smiled wanly. "Just to the mountains. Miss Nagase tried to teach us how to be ninjas."

"And what did you come away with?"

"Scars."

The old man thumped the counter with his hand and barked a laugh. "Oh, come on! You must have learned something whilst up there, you were gone for a whole day!" Suddenly his voice dropped to a whisper and an evil glint appeared in his eye. "Oh, I get it. Send the young ones away from the camp for a while, leaving you and Miss Nagase all alone…" further musings were interrupted by Luke crashing onto the floor, anime style. He scrambled up onto his feet, staring at the man in open shock.

"W-w-what?! How could you even think that sir?! You know me! I'd never do something like that!"

"You want to though."

Luke was speechless. He stood there, his mouth working furiously, yet no sound escaped him.

Izashima caught his look. "Oh, sorry, that came out a bit blunt."

"YOU THINK?!"

The old man smiled apologetically. "What I meant was, you want to become closer with her, that's all. And if I may say so, you sure took your time."

Breathing deeply to calm himself, Luke decided on switching topics rather than arguing. "So the matter at the Plaza has been resolved I take it? It's strangely quiet now…"

The shop owner smiled at the lad's obvious attempt to change the subject, but granted him respite just this once. "Indeed. Almost supernaturally so. I guess the emergency services have everything under control now."

"Let's go and check it out!" cried out Fuka suddenly, springing up between them. Izashima laughed and patted her on the back.

"That's the spirit! Go and discover things for yourself, don't trust what the newspapers tell you!"

"Says the man who does nothing but read newspapers-" began Luke before being hit on the head with a rolled up paper the older man had somehow gotten his hands on.

"No one asked your opinion, and a gentleman doesn't butt in to conversations," lectured Mr Izashima, smiling slightly.

"Yes, yes," answered the blonde youth, rubbing his head. "But a gentleman doesn't let children go to a potentially hazardous area either."

Izashima smiled in victory. Immediately, Luke realised he had been out-manoeuvred. "Thanks for volunteering."

_Oh, that wily, good-for-nothing, old…_

_Then again, the blaze is gone, and there is no magical activity anywhere near the World Tree, and I can get away from the twins for a while so might as well…_

"Alright, I might as well go. I have nothing else to do," he answered with a shrug. He could see the old man was surprised by his answer, but he hid it well. Of course, that's when Fumika decided to stop looking around the shop and add her own opinion.

"You just want to go because Kaede went there!"

There was silence. Luke felt himself growing red again, probably in annoyance at the fact that these three would not accept the fact he had better things to be doing than getting together with Miss Nagase. The twins were smiling now, but Mr Izashima saw the lad's face and decided against goading him further.

"Well anyway, you'd better be going," he said, filling the silence. He picked up his paper, opened it at a random page and resumed reading. "Come back and tell us how it went, ok?"

There was a sigh and Luke nodded, zipping up his jacket. "Ok, I'll see you later sir," he said, heading to the door.

"Wait!" chirruped the twins in unison.

Luke stopped in his tracks and took a moment to compose himself. "Yes?"

"Why don't you take Kaede's shuriken with you? It might come in handy!" suggested Fuka, pointing at the bag behind the counter.

Luke glanced at the twins. Their faces were serious, if slightly eager. "You want me to walk to the World Tree carrying an oversized shuriken?"

"Yep," answered the twins in unison, smiling widely.

"…fine," he replied, shrugging again. _No harm in taking it I suppose, and the area should be quarantined after whatever happened. No one will see me. And I can give it back to Miss Nagase when I run into her. Plus, it will stop the twins complaining about me not being a gentleman. As if carrying a three ton bag down a mountain on my own wasn't enough proof of that! _

He strode back to the counter, opened the bag and had a quick rummage around inside. A minute later, he left the shop with a massive four bladed metal star slung over his back. Whistling a happy tune, he set off to check out the damage to the World Tree Plaza. If he knew what his curiosity would eventually lead to, he most likely would have done a 180 and gone back to the dorms, gentlemanly attitude be damned!


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thiry-Four**

**Requiem Dream **

"You have progressed well Negi!" cried out Herrmann joyously, hurling a ball of dark matter at the incoming child. Spinning his staff full circle, Negi Springfield managed to dodge the projectile, yet was caught in its backwash and thrown off course. Slightly panicky, he managed to retain his hold over the floating stick, gulping slightly as he watched the attack spin away down towards the ground, already a good distance below. He could barely make out the forms of his partners scrambling for cover as the missile impacted, exploding with spectacular violence.

"Why are you doing this?! It not like you!" said the kid teacher, glaring at Herrmann. The demon was smiling sadly. Negi rose to his eye level. The Graf just folded his arms and chuckled.

"Why? Why you ask? The answer is simple," he answered, lashing out with his wings. The buffeting winds threw the child away like a leaf. When he regained his balance, he found himself face to face with the demon. With another laugh, it swiped at his face with its claws. Negi spun himself to the side, hanging upside down from his staff. He closed his eyes and muttered a quick incantation. He reached out, still dangling upside down, and unleashed thirteen arrows of light directly ahead into his opponent's mid-section. The dark spirit doubled up more in shock than any actual pain.

"Negi, drop!"

No hesitation. The ten year old released his hold on his staff, letting himself fall. The space where he had been moments before suddenly shuddered as a kanka blast tore its way through reality and into the winded demon. Negi caught the expression on Wilhelm's face before the ray of energy engulfed him. He had to admit, it was priceless.

As he formed the thought, the demon was back, swooping down after him. Behind it, Negi could make out Takahata's form, and his staff. Another silent incantation, and the staff was flying downwards like an arrow. Takahata was also on the move, falling just behind the demon.

Several gunshots rang out as Mana opened fire, the high-velocity projectiles tearing their way through Wilhelm's demonic form. His screech of pain was sure to be heard all over campus, thought Negi worriedly, as the demon spread its wings, claws cradling the mutilated face.

Bad move.

The summoned staff shot straight down, crashing into Wilhelm and ripping through one of his wings. Professor Springfield winced in sympathy, extending his hand to catch the staff and stop his rapid descent. Several feet above him, the wounded spirit was groaning in pain, only to be crashed into again, this time by Professor Takahata. Having already depleted much of his kanka energy, the older teacher simply fell feet first into the demon, the effect being like a particularly punishing drop kick. Kicking up from the creature, Takahata cleared the thrashing wings and landed perfectly on Negi's staff. The child paled as he tried to keep it level, now with all the added weight.

"Why can't keep this up for long!"

"Indeed Negi. But neither can he."

Negi couldn't refrain from smiling at Takamichi's optimistic attitude. It was one of those things that made him who he was.

"Enough!" laughed a voice suddenly. Boy and man swung their attention back to Graf Herrmann. To their surprise, he had resumed his human form, and was now floating down to the ground, a smile on his face. There was no visible damage on him.

"What does it take to wound him?!" hissed Negi, slightly panicky. Takamichi simply shrugged in response and motioned for the boy to descend. The child teacher obeyed without a word, and all too soon, they were on terra firma once more, scant yards from the demon. They were in fighting stances. No matter what Wilhelm would do, they were ready. Of course, then the demon did the only thing they hadn't been expecting.

He smirked, and unleashed a delayed petrification at them.

They scattered as the beam of light shrieked through the air. And then the demon was gone, instant moving next to Mana. The sniper's eyes widened slightly before she was punched brutally in the face, hurled away as Wilhelm ducked beneath a spinning kick from her partner. He spun around and punched her, slamming the girl into the ground. The Graf raised his foot to stamp down on the ninja.

And got promptly tackled.

The Graf and his attacker landed in a heap, flailing around wildly. Silently, the demon grabbed the human by the throat and hurled him away. The aggressor yelped as he was sent flying before crashing into a crumpled heap.

"Everyone's taking a shot, aren't they," breathed Wilhelm as he stood up, right into the path of a kanka. Needless to say, he didn't get back up again.

* * *

Standing up groggily, Luke swore silently. That man had been shockingly strong. And being thrown several feet and crashing into the ground always hurt. Then again, he probably deserved it. After all, charging in without thinking tended to end badly for those doing the charging. But when he had seen the stranger attacking Kaede he…well, snapped. The youth grimaced. _Ok, that's lame. I can't believe I actually did that! Blindly tackling some rogue mage and hoping for the best?! All for Miss Nagase's safety! Aw man, Asakura and Haruna are going to have a field day if they finds out that! I mean, I still would've acted the same way if it was anyone else right?_ Luke felt himself calm down slightly as he leaped on that explanation. It was his code of conduct which compelled him to do such a stupid thing, not feelings of…affection…for Miss Nagase.

_Wait…THE HELL AM I THINKING ABOUT AT A TIME LIKE THIS?! There's a rogue mage and – ah. _Worrying about that had become moot point by now, as the black clad stranger was now lying on the ground, his outline blurry and…smoking? Inured by now to the unusualness of the Academy, Luke just shrugged it off and made his way towards the fallen figure.

Reaching the man, Luke knelt down, wincing in pain. He reached out and turned the man over, only to be confronted with a grin.

"Damn, you're good," breathed Wilhelm, "making me lose my concentration so to let Death Glare finish me off."

Luke yelped and stumbled backwards in shock as the Graf laughed, smoke emanating from his dark form.

"I-I-I take it you are a demon then?" Luke gulped, trying to slow his furious beating heart. Somehow, this wasn't what he had expected.

"Indeed. A true demon too," answered Negi, coming up next to him. Luke glanced down at the boy, surprised.

"Under orders from one who summoned him," finished Takahata, coming up next to Negi. Luke looked from one teacher to the other.

"Maybe I should come back later…" he excused himself, walking backwards away from the fallen creature, glancing about. He noticed Mana was kneeling by Kaede's side, and started towards the pair, but found himself stopped by Professor Takahata.

"There is no harm in you seeing this."

"What, a demons death?"

"He isn't dead, he's just fading away back to the demon realm," explained Negi.

"Oh," was all Luke could say.

"Tricked by a kid…I must be getting old," joked Wilhelm, looking up at the three males.

"Who summoned you?" asked Takahata, his kanka power ebbing away as it was no longer required.

"Not telling," said the demon, still grinning. "Work it out yourselves, oh-smart-mages!"

Luke suppressed a snigger at the reactions of the teachers, a curious mixture of shock and exasperation. "Did you honesty think he was going to tell you just like that?"

"It was worth a try," shrugged Negi.

"It's good to see your strength improving Negi," complimented the demon. "And Death Glare was exactly as the legends say."

"Legends?!" exclaimed Luke, staring at his Professor. The elderly teacher didn't spare him a glance, his attention focused on the dissolving demon.

"And you boy, who are you?" queried the wounded being, staring up at him.

"Luke Mason, at your service," replied the youth curtly, somewhat surprised at being spoken to.

"A plain name, but I won't forget it," swore the Graf, memorizing the boys face. "I must admit, I'm intrigued in you…"

"In what way?" asked Luke, his interest now aroused. But his only answer was a laugh as Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrman vanished into a cloud of smoke, never to be seen again.

For a while anyways.

The three men stood there, staring at the space where their opponent had been moments before.

"Does this kinda thing happen often?" ventured Luke eventually.

"Often enough," answered Negi, turning away, as Takahata sighed and turned away as well.

The blonde boy watched the two teachers walk off, as if nothing had happened. He stared at them, before to the spot where Wilhelm had vanished.

…_ok, so I still have a lot learn concerning real life at Mahora….but damn, how the hell do they manage to keep these things secret?! _

"I have to go," said Mana next to him.

Luke suppressed a yelp, only glancing at her and surprise. "Erm, why are you telling me this?"

"I still have a patrol to take care of, make sure no other demons are running around," explained the sniper dispassionately.

"Again, why are you telling me this?"

"I need you to take care of Kaede."

"Ah, alr – WHAT?!"

"I checked her already, she's fine. Just unconscious. You're her roommate, so take care of it please," said Mana before she slung her rifle over her shoulder and walked off, smiling slightly. _Have it your way Kaede…_

Luke stared at her back as she departed, then at the kunoichi lying peacefully on the ground. Gulping slightly, he picked her up, bridal style, and slowly began making his way back to the dorms, hoping he wasn't as red as he thought he was. Also, he was going to need one hell of an explanation for this…

Staring straight ahead trying to some up with an excuse to keep his mind of the fact he was carrying an unconscious Kaede Nagase in bridal fashion, Luke failed to notice the smile which briefly played over the ninja's face.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

**Love and Fury**

"Luka and Kaede, sitting in a tree!"

"I'm warning you…"

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Seriously, stop that…"

"First comes love, then comes marriage,"

"One more word and I swear…!"

"Then comes Kaede pushing a baby carriage!" chorused the twins, laughing.

Luke groaned, feeling himself burning red. Here he was, safely back at the dorm, with no one having witnessed him carrying Miss Nagase. Well, except the twins of course. And now the duo were dancing about the room, singing and poking fun at the blonde youth.

"So come on, what did you do?" queried Fuka for the umpteenth time that evening, popping up behind him.

"Yeah! What happened?" added Fumika, appearing on his other side.

He looked from one eager face to the other. "When the heck did you get back here anyway?" he countered.

"Mr. Izashima let us go after twenty minutes," answered Fuka promptly. "Now stop avoiding the question, what happened?"

"Miss Nagase had heat stroke," answered Luke, the distasteful lie slipping through his teeth like the treacherous serpent it was. But then again, he couldn't tell the truth without revealing magic, and if he did that, his memory would be gone, and he'd be back to square one.

Luckily, the twins seemed to buy it.

"Heat stroke?! But how could she? She's always careful with stuff like that, making sure no one dehydrates during training…" murmured Fumika, worry evident in her eyes as she glanced at the top bunk were Kaede as sleeping in peace.

Or not.

"Well it looks like she forgot to drink enough fluids today. She left the campsite in a hurry after all," explained the boy matter-of-factly, standing up and walking to the small bathroom.

"Will she be ok?" asked Fumika, skittering over to the kunoichi's bunk and clambering up to glance at her. Fuka remained leaning on the sofa, looking at Luke with suspicion in her eyes.

"Suppose so. Her temperature's down and all, so she just has to rest," replied Luke, marveling at how convincing he was. He came out, wringing out a cool towel, looking form one twin to the other. Fumika was acting her age, worrying over her older friend whilst Fuka…she obviously needed more convincing. She had always been more mature than her sister, and it might prove a problem…

Suddenly, Fumika let loose a tiny giggle, audible in the silence. Her twin and the blonde boy stared at her as she turned around, smiling happily. She looked at both of them before explaining.

"She just murmured in her sleep," explained the young girl. "So she's obviously all right. I checked her temperature too. Seems normal."

Luke just shrugged and went over to the bunk, going halfway up the ladder to be able to easily place the cool towel on the ninja's forehead. Mere theatrics, but that was one of the lessons taught to him when he had been on that damned mountain. Theatrics and deception were powerful tools, and now he was beginning to grasp the truth in those words.

"Come on, let's go," urged Fumika, tugging Fuka's arm.

"Why?" countered the other pink-haired child, looking away from Luke staring absent-mindedly at Kaede.

The younger twin smiled as she spoke. "I'll tell you outside." And with that, the twins abandoned their roommates.

Luke glanced at their forms as they left. Once he heard the door click closed, he turned to the lying kunoichi, in more ways than one too. "Alright, I know you aren't unconscious, so why?"

Kaede opened one eye and smiled at him. "I had my reasons de gozaru. And how did you know I was faking?"

Luke sighed as he dropped from the ladder. "I'm not stupid. You may be a great ninja, but your acting leaves a lot to be desired. And again I ask, why? You never did strike me as the one lazy enough not to walk home…"

A kunai embedded itself in the floor next to his foot. Luke glanced sharply at the girl in the bed. She hadn't moved at all.

"I retract my statement," he said quickly, backing away wearily. "But still, why did you want me to carry you?"

"I'm still a girl de gozaru," she replied, getting out of her bunk.

"…what?"

"Well, I have never been carried before by someone who obviously cared for me de gozaru, so I wanted to experience it, if even once."

Luke paused by the exit, wondering. Of all the things, this was the last he had expected. Then again...she did have a point. Despite being a ninja, and possibly one of the most powerful figures he knew on campus, and being a master of deception and cunning, she was still a girl, so it didn't seem too far-fetched for her to have some sort of interest in romance. Though from what he'd gleaned from 3A, Kaede had never expressed any kind of inclination in such matters. He'd have to check up on that with some of her classmates, he thought as he left the kunoichi in her dorm.

* * *

The room was sparsely furnished. It had no windows, just bare brick walls in a perfect cube shape. A lonely bulb hanging from the ceiling was one of the two only sources of illumination. The other was a computer monitor, displaying numerous charts and other gathered information. The document on display had a large, bold heading:

Mahora

The computer rested on a small desk, and a chair was neatly placed nest to it. Apart from that, the room was devoid of any other furniture. However, it was not unadorned. Massive scratch marks were gouged into every surface, even the ceiling. This room was unlike any other room in the world. It was more like a cell. A cell with one occupant.

He stood in the middle of the room, perfectly still. No signs of life escaped him, except the occasional hiss of air as he breathed out. He was asleep, or as he put it, offline. Mechanical terms had become more accurate to describe him, as precious little was left of his flesh. If one was to look at him, they would behold a metallic monstrosity. Nearly eight feet tall, he was armored in a cybernetic suit, with back-jointed knees and clawed gauntlets. The head was fashioned in resemblance of a dragon, with one large viewing slit slicing through it, covered in black tinted glass. Yet the mighty form was surprisingly thin. Apart from the block-like torso, oversized gauntlets and powerful legs, the rest of him might as well contained twigs in the metallic confines of the armor. A long tail was curled around him, twitching with every breath he took.

This being was known as Seeker.

* * *

"Honestly. This is getting quite out of hand."

"Perhaps. We have had more successes than failures though."

"Not with that cybernetic fanatic. He's completely out of control. Did you see what he did to that satellite? Hacked it in ten seconds flat, played around with it for five minutes, and then set it on a collision course with an aircraft carrier in the Mexican Gulf. The boss nearly had a fit when I told him."

The other voice chuckled. "Let him have his fun. It must get pretty boring being shut up in that room all day."

"He's shut up for a reason. Last time we tried to integrate him with the others, he broke Muse's guitar by using it to club Maiden. It took D squad a day to subdue him."

"Oh? Infamous D squad couldn't handle a simple teen?"

"A simple teen who's upgraded his armor. He revealed his flamethrower when they entered. Lost three men in the first five seconds. That monster is crazy."

The second voice laughed this time. "But he's wonderfully inventive!"

"Not anymore. Ever since that hook-up in the autumn, he's become rather…reserved."

"Really?"

"Yes. He seems to have some sort of obsession with a school he stumbled across whilst…"

"Whilst what?"

"I'm not at liberty to tell you."

"Damn. Alright, what happened next?"

"What do you think? He went cyber."

"Go on…"

"And frankly, got the crap beaten out of him."

The other voice was silent for a few seconds. "What?! This isn't in the infirmary records!"

"Indeed, He never complained. He masked himself admirably. Patched up his wounds himself, scrubbed the room clean of his foul blood, and went about his normal existence as if nothing happened."

"Seeker always was a fine model."

"Perhaps. But it came at a cost. Remember that."

"Yeah, yeah…"

* * *

Though seemingly asleep, the creature known as Seeker was fully aware of everything going on in the dank complex.

Pathetic. So secure in their mastery, so ignorant of our abilities.

He smiled beneath his metal visor, his fangs glinting in the ghostly light emanating from the HUD in front of his face. He had planned perfectly. All the cybernetic information was already downloaded onto his personal databanks, and he had hacked the security system of this place months ago.

A billion miniscule pixels on the upper left side of his field of vision were a mess of activity. Each one was programmed to show the images from one of the security camera's dotting the compound. His enhanced vision selected several feeds and zoomed in. Several men walking down a hallway, arguing over experiment results. The blood stained training chamber. Muse in his room strumming his electric guitar. Maiden practicing kendo in her sanctuary. An empty room. He paused momentarily on the last feed, before coldly snarling and cutting the link.

Waiting, waiting. Hah, never was one for patience.

+Alright, let's roll!+ he said over the communication link.

* * *

The yellow siren began to chime as soon as the Seeker began moving. It was swiftly followed by the screech of the red siren as he kicked down the reinforced bulkhead keeping him contained in the dungeons. The three tonne door flew off the pneumatic hinges and crashed against the opposite wall. Steam hissed out of the wrecked pumps, giving the whole corridor a supernatural feel.

In his room, Muse looked up from his guitar suddenly. And grinned. It was time. He stood up, pulled on his coat, and placed his own metallic visor over his head. This one was in the shape of a grinning skull.

Next door, Blade Maiden finished her last practice strike before spinning on her heel and slashing out in a wide arc. The door bent in half and collapsed, as did a greater part of the wall. She cocked her head to the side and smiled, before going over to her bedside table and removing a mask. She put it on with her free hand, her other never straying from the sword's hilt. She calmly stepped outside her cell, and turned to her right, just as the door next to hers burst into flame. The blaze lasted for less than a second, and through the smoking gap left behind stepped Muse. He glanced at her, his morbid skull mask tilting as if questioning. She nodded. Seemingly satisfied, he turned around and began to walk away, idly plucking at his ever-present guitar. The girl watched him go for a second before turning around and running towards the stone stairs leading to the dungeon.

* * *

"What the hell?! It's Seeker! That damn machine just shattered a bulkhead!"

"Very good!" answered the second voice, and a clapping could be heard. "Looks like he outsmarted you."

"Shut up." An intercom buzzed. "What is it?" Momentary silence. "WHAT?!"

"More developments?"

"Muse and Maiden are also on the move! Shit! Prepare-"

"D squad?" cut in the second voice.

"Screw them, this is an emergency. Send in Ankh Squad."

"…you can't be serious…"

"DO IT! I will not have a repeat of the Clockwork incident! Should they attempt escape, kill them all."

"Understood."

* * *

Pathetic. So secure in their mastery, so ignora-

Oh wait, I already thought that. Ah well.

The Seeker shrugged slightly, the servos in his armor trying to mimic the motion. With a thought, he summoned a map of the complex and overlaid his route on top. The creature in the armor smiled.

"Halt!" shouted a voice.

The Seeker calmly half turned his head to see who had spoken. A patrol team of soldiers. Black body armor and overalls, three grenades and ammo clips each. Four were armed with MK-47s, and one had a grenade launcher. He smirked. Nice little toys, but that's all they were. Toys.

Without even pausing, he simply raised his left arm, the panel on it sliding back to reveal the small gatling cannon secreted beneath. He enjoyed the momentary look of pure shock on the front man's face before it was shredded by heavy caliber rounds. The four other men opened their mouths to either gasp or scream, yet the Seeker gave them no time to do either. He spun to face them, crossed his arms over his chest, and aimed his helm at them. A sheet of blue flame erupted from the twin nozzles located on either side of the dragon's mouth, bathing the hallway in scorching gasoline. Flesh melted in seconds, and grenades went off under the intense heat. It was all over and done with in two heartbeats. A full patrol team of top-grade soldiers dead, and nothing to mark their passing save a blackened hallway. The Seeker smiled again.

Always great to have a workout after a nap.

With that, he turned around and resumed his brisk walk towards the helipad.

* * *

"Contact closing. Five, four, three, two, one…"

With one hand gesture, the troopers were in position. First rank was on their stomachs, aiming their rifles. Second rank was kneeling, also taking aim. Third rank stood, their sights fixed on the enemy. The sergeant felt a hint of pride at his squad's discipline. They had perfected this trick years ago. It allowed the fire team to fire at full effect even whilst in cramped confines such as hallways. And-

A sudden red mist filled his vision. He tried to speak, but blood filled his mouth. He blinked, stupefied, for several seconds before his head fell to the floor, his body following soon after.

"Too slow," said Maiden coyly, as the rest of the soldiers fell apart in a fountain of gore. She smiled as she licked the blood of her blade, before turning around and going back the way she had come.

* * *

"Get away!" screeched the young officer, brandishing a pistol.

"Sheesh, calm down. I only want a chopper."

"D-d-don't toy with me! I know what you are! You're all goddamn monsters!"

The youth's eyes flashed angrily. "Care to repeat that?"

The young man realized he had infuriated the boy, and with a yelp, turned around and began to run. He got several steps away before the sound wave hit him. He opened his mouth to scream, yet it was drowned out by the discordant music crushing his internal organs to a pulp.

Muse watched the man's remains crumple onto the floor, and slung his guitar over his shoulder. His eyes were cold and furious.

"We did not ask to be made into what we are."

The sun rose, and morning came. Smoke was spiraling into the sky from an undisclosed location in the middle of Europe. The complex was still reeling from the sudden breakout. And in the birthing light, a single helicopter, a Mi24P Hind F flew on. Inside, three figures were crammed together.

"So where are we going?" asked Muse eventually.

"Japan," answered the Seeker, his cold voice laced with static.

"Anywhere in particular?" queried Maiden from behind him. She was sitting in the troop hold, idly polishing her blade.

"Mahora," was her only answer.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

**Fear and Attachment**

_There was darkness. _

_He glanced about nervously. The blackness surrounding him seemed to move with malevolent intent. _

"_Of your memory time only knows…" whispered a voice._

"_Clockworks…" whispered another._

_"Be on time…" _

_He spun around, his eyes scanning the inky blackness before him. The voices seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. _

"_Who are you?" demanded the youth, his voice trembling slightly. _

"_We," replied the first voice, almost mechanical._

"_Are," continued the second, a female. _

"_The," added a third in musical tones. _

"_DESTROYERS!" roared a million voices in unison. _

Luke screamed and awoke. His breathing came in short, sharp gasps, and he was drenched in icy sweat. He lay on the couch, shivering slightly.

_Not again. I was hoping for a peaceful night and off I go and have a nightmare. _

The blonde sighed heavily and got up, stretching himself off. No point trying to go back to sleep, he wouldn't be able to close his eyes after that dream.

_Strange though, it wasn't exactly scary and yet it feels as if I watched my own death! _

He smiled wryly as he quickly dressed himself. He was probably the easiest person to scare in the whole world-

"Morning de gozaru."

"GAH!" Luke jumped in fright and spun around, only to end up face to face with Miss Nagase. She had her trademark smile on again. Perhaps. It was still dark.

"G-good m-morning Miss Nagase!" Luke stammered, feeling himself grow red. _What the hell is wrong with me…?_

"Sleep well?" she asked casually, sitting down on the couch he had so recently vacated.

"Not really. Been having some downright strange dreams lately, and I can't get a decent night's sleep."

"Maybe it's because you aren't sleeping on a proper bed?" suggested the girl. "As I said, you can always sleep in my bed."

"And what happened last time I did that?" countered Luke, crossing his arms and smirking.

Her brow furrowed in concentration. "Oh. Good point de gozaru."

He shook his head sadly and sat down next to her. "I prefer nightmares over a repeat of that incident."

"It wasn't that bad," replied Kaede, smiling at the memory.

Luke made a face. "Not for you maybe. You managed to escape, I didn't."

She laughed at that. "Well, yes, but we did have our moments."

The blonde youth spluttered slightly. "M-moments?!"

"Well, there was our first meeting, I'm sure you remember that," began Kaede, Luke's groan signifying that he indeed did remember. It had cost him. Literally.

"Then you got me those daggers as an apology," continued Kaede happily. "I never got to thank you for them actually de gozaru."

"It was nothing. An apology, as I said when I gave them to you," replied Luke, pretty sure his face was beginning to glow red.

"It was still nice of you."

Luke focused his attention on staring ahead.

_Sheesh, why now? Of all the times to develop feelings of attachment…_

"Then there was that talk we had by the World Tree."

"How is that a 'moment' to be remembered?"

_That was the first time you opened up to me_ thought Kaede, her expression softening. Aloud, she replied, "It was one of the few talks we had."

"And I suppose the training is another fond little memory?" said Luke, face buried in his hands.

"Indeed. You did really well, I was impressed. Especially how you dodged my attack with the shurikens."

"That was a mere accident. If not for that branch I tripped over when I turned you definitely would have got me."

"You're too modest de gozaru."

They sat in silence for several seconds.

"Luke?"

"Yes?"

"Do you like me?"

_EH?! _thought the blonde youth, staring at the girl next to him. Her face was hidden in shadow. "Erm, well, I…that is…" he struggled to find the words.

He heard a soft chuckle. "I suppose that's a yes then?"

"…yes," he answered quietly. _Honesty is a virtue after all. And-_

His train of thought crashed rather spectacularly when Kaede leant over and kissed him.

* * *

"And that's all we have to say," finished Takahata.

"Hmmmm," replied the dean, studying the two teachers in front of him curiously.

Negi and Takahata exchanged a quick, nervous glance.

"Very well. I trust you both, as you fully well know, and I'm glad you managed to convince the intruder to repair the damage he caused," said dean Konoe eventually, smiling.

"It was no trouble dean," answered Negi quickly.

The old man set down his tea and nodded at the two of them. "Very well, return to your duties then."

The two teachers bowed and left. Outside, they exchanged another glance as Negi sighed in relief.

"Think we did the right thing?"

"What, about not telling him about how Luke tackled Herrmann? Yes, I do," replied Takahata.

"Well that's a relief!" sighed Negi, sliding down to the floor. The whole incident had left him a wreck. Paperwork was a killer too. Factor in planning lessons and managing a thirty girl class on his own…well, you get the idea.

"That reminds me, have you given Luke that letter yet?"

Negi looked up at the grizzled teacher. "Eh?"

"The one considering his punishment for gassing your class…"

The child prodigy's eyes went wide. He yelped in sudden memory, his hand diving into his pocket and drawing out an envelope. "I forgot!" wailed the ten year old, before spinning around and running as fast as possible to Luke's regular haunt.

Takahata watched the child speed off like a road runner on…erm, speed. He chuckled quietly before going the other way towards the teachers lounge to catch a quick rest before the day began proper.

* * *

"What do you want?"

"Seeker, Muse, and Maiden are out."

"…that's not good."

"You think?! They wrecked the lab and stole a chopper. From what we could tell, they were heading east."

"Any idea where they went?"

"…yes."

"You hesitated."

"You wouldn't like it if I told you."

"Be a man and tell me then."

"Groznyj Grad."

"Shit."

"It gets better."

"How?"

"Seeker fixed the Shagohod."

"He did, didn't he?"

"Surprisingly fast too. He obviously likes it."

"Anymore cheering news you'd care to share with me?"

"Yes. They're heading your way. We've identified Seeker's target. A school."

"What school?"

"Mahora."

"Is he serious?! Attacking a school? I mean, I know it's almost full of mages, but still!"

"That's why he has Muse, Maiden and the Shagohod with him. He's going in guns blazing."

"…what do we do?"

"We stop him before the Japanese factions interpret his attack as an act of war."

* * *

The machine growled like some primordial beast. Traveling fast over broken ground, its treads crushed rocks into dust, and the Archimedes screws on its front half spun furiously, dragging the unconventional tank onwards towards the east.

On the back, claws dug into the outer hull, stood Seeker. Arms crossed, he stood defiant of the world around him, of the immense winds tugging at him form as the vehicle traveled at over 300 km/hr. The backwash from the rocket boosters was intense even as far ahead of the actual engines as he was, yet he felt no discomfort. A smile, as cold as his blood, formed on Seeker's face. He had two mighty warriors with him, and a war machine of the Cold War. All were enhanced beyond their creators' dreams. They were techno-sorcery at its finest.

"Chisame Hasegawa. Luke Mason. You will pay for the insult you visited upon me!" he hissed coldly, as the icy blue slits he had for eyes blazed brightly through the tinted glass of his visor.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

**Eh? Next move? Me?! **

"They're at it again," whispered Fuka, glancing from beneath the covers. Next to her, Fumika was staring at the bed above.

"So? It's probably nothing…"

"Fumika, they…" Fuka's voice trailed off.

"What is it?" yawned the younger twin, trying to stay awake.

"They're…kissing!" answered Fuka, barely suppressing a yelp of surprise.

"Big deal so they're kiss-" replied Fumika, stifling another yawn before realizing what she just heard. "Wait, _what_?!"

"Look!" hissed her twin, pulling the covers up slightly higher to reveal the scene in front of them. The twins goggled at what they saw. Kaede and Luke were sitting on the couch, kissing. It wasn't particularly passionate, more like…innocent. The Narutaki's shared a glance and giggle as the pair broke apart, Luke's face one of shock mingled with pleasure, and Kaede's one of victory. A soft silence filled the room, the twins waiting with baited breath for the next move.

* * *

"Ahem…well…this is awkward," said Luke, almost immediately regretting his choice of words. _Smooth move Romeo. _

Kaede simply raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You really don't know how to go on from this do you de gozaru?"

"Hey! This is a new experience for me, so how am I supposed to know what's next? You're the first girl I've kissed…that I remember," he added as an afterthought.

She laughed softly, standing up. "Well, then I'll leave you to work something out by the end of today." She turned and went into the bathroom, smiling broadly, leaving behind a seriously confused youth.

_Alright…what the hell is going on? First of all that talk, and then…_ a goofy grin plastered itself on his face before he shook himself. _Let's not dwell on that. But honestly, what is with this girl? Being so forward like that…that's not exactly normal…_

_But since when has anything in this academy been remotely like normal?_

Luke found himself smiling again. Life in Mahora had just gotten better.

* * *

Morning came, illuminating Mahora like a treasure. The autumn leaves shone gold and the water glittered as if diamond. But as always, there was one place were the joyous light was denied entry.

Izashima's shop.

The blinds were drawn, and the musty darkness seemed to shift around lazily. Behind the counter, Makoto Izashima was carefully studying a card by the light of a single candle. He was looking past the card, into the past. A past in which he had been just another partner, another warrior bound to a mage. Life had been much simpler back then. None of this secrecy, hiding the truth for the greater good.

He sighed heavily. He was getting old. Encountering Luke had finally made him realize that. This was no longer his time. He no longer had a purpose. And so Makoto Izashima wiled away his days running a magical shop stocking everything one could ever need. His time had passed. And he was grateful for that. He threw the pactio card down onto the counter and snuffed out the lonely candle.

"Morning Sir!" reported a cheery voice.

Izashima's eyes flew open, and he looked to the door with a smile on his face. "Morning Luke. How are you?"

"Fine, fine," said the youth, happily humming to himself. He strode over to the counter and dumped his bag in the usual spot before striding over to the windows and opening the shutters.

"You're in a good mood today," continued Izashima slyly, peering over the top of his glasses at the blonde boy.

"Oh, am I?" replied the boy, walking back to the counter.

"Alright, what happened?" asked the old man with a grin. "And don't leave out any of the sordid details."

"Sir! It's not like that! I swear!" cried out Luke, turning red. "It was just a kiss! That's all!"

The elderly shop keeper threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Well it's about time! Honestly, with all the girls here one would be spoilt for choice, and yet you took your time!"

Luke was now face down on the counter groaning. "Sir, why do you always do this? Would it kill you to do something normal? Like a crossword or something…"

His employer scoffed. "And where's the fun in that? Now come on, who was it?"

He was answered by silence.

"So it was Miss Nagase after all. Heh, should've known. You two hit it off pretty well from what I heard…"

"Heard?! From who?!"

"Three names. Three guesses," replied Izashima cryptically.

Of course, Luke jumped to the right conclusion. "Mahora cheerleaders, right? Sir, you really need to find a better source of information."

The man shrugged in response. "All information is good information."

Luke stared at the man before groaning again and collapsing onto the counter. "Instead of making fun of me, why not help me out here? I need to make the next move apparently…"

"Oh, that's easy. Tell her you love her."

"…why do I even bother?"

"Not just like that, it has to be a special moment," continued Izashima, stroking his stubble.

"Yeah, I figured. Though I doubt that's the right thing to do…"

"What?! Luke, listen-"

"Do I have to?" countered the boy, his vice muffled by the counter.

WHAM

"Listening!" continued Luke, his head jerking up.

"Look, do you like her?" asked the elderly shop keeper, leaning down and glaring into the boy's brown eyes.

"Erm…y-yes."

"Do you like being with her?"

"Perhaps…"

"Luke?"

"Alright, I do."

"Do you think you could live with her?"

"I already do…"

"You know what I mean."

"…yes," replied Luke in a small voice.

"Luke."

"Yes Sir?"

"Tell her."

"Tell her what? 'I love you' and that's all?"

"Don't look at me! This is your love life!"

"I thought you were meant to help me!"

"I'm pushing you in the right direction."

"Off a cliff more like…"

WHAM

"Respect your elders!"

"Sir Yes Sir!" intoned Luke in a parade ground tone, rubbing his sore head.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

The birds were singing softly. The park was peaceful, and that's why she enjoyed it. It reminded her of the mountains were she carried out her training. Peaceful. Kaede smiled as she watched nature run its course. Soon it would be winter, and another school year would begin. She sighed and leaned back on the bench, calmly watching the clouds above roll lazily past.

_I wonder what he'll do…_she wondered, smiling slightly at the memory of the expression on Luke's face. He really was clueless when it came to relationships. _Still, that's what makes it fun_ she added, her smile growing wider as she let her mind wander. She herself wasn't an expert on the subject, so it would be nice to learn along with someone else. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Life was becoming so…interesting lately.

* * *

"So we're set?" asked Misa, glancing about to make sure no one overheard in the noisy classroom.

"Of course! All that's left is to hand out the invitations to our guests of honor," replied Sakurako with a smile, rolling up a list of things to do.

"And who are they?" asked Madoka.

"Well, Natsumi's brother, Negi and Luke of course."

"They'll never accept…" said Madoka with an exasperated tone. She had explained this to Sakurako numerous times before.

"Ah, I'm sure they will! After all, Negi would have to be there as we're his class, and Natsumi's brother does whatever Chizuru tells him to. As for Luke, would a gentleman turn down an invitation?"

"Well, no, but it feels like cheating somehow…" admitted Madoka.

"Aw come on, it'll be fun! And it's been ages since we had a party! Last one was to commemorate Luke's arrival, remember?"

"And why this one then?" asked Misa playfully.

"Well…do we really need a reason?"

"We have a reason for you," cut in a pair of voice suddenly. The cheerleaders glanced down at the Narutaki twins.

"Oh really? And what would that be?" asked Misa dubiously.

Fuka and Fumika shared an evil glance. Life was going to be interesting from now on.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

**A Gentleman's Surprise**

The class was bustling with activity, as it always did before the start of lessons. Everyone was in their own little groups, huddles dotted about here and there. The Library Trio chatting nonchalantly about something or other, probably regarding books, Chizuru and Natsumi idly talking with Zazie as to what really happened at the World Tree that weekend. In the corner, stood Mana, surveying everything with her usual emotionless stare. Surprisingly, Evangeline and Chachamaru were also there, sitting in their usual seats at the back, coldly refusing to meet anyone's look. Outside, Kaede sighed as she stood in the hallway, listening to everything happening inside.

"So Kaede…" said Sakurako suddenly, appearing next to her. "What's this the twins have been telling us then?"

"Yes, what all this about you and Luke?" added Misa, grinning impishly, also exiting the classroom discreetly.

Both girls were taken aback by the kunoichi's smile. "Well, what have they been telling you, de gozaru?"

The cheerleaders shared a glance, before Madoka (who'd joined them from the class) finally answered. "It appears that you two…made out," she finished quietly, making sure no one heard her.

Kaede's trademark smile was all the answer they received to their question.

"Y-you mean…?" started Madoka, her eyes growing slightly wide.

"No way. Not you, not him. No way," denied Misa, shaking her head slightly in disbelief.

"They did make a cute couple on that picture though, remember? Before you," she pointed at the ninja, "and that boy tricked us in to thinking you both had died!"

Kaede chuckled slightly. "You deserved that for believing those crazed rumors, de gozaru."

"Only now, it isn't a rumor, is it?" asked Misa, sidling up next to the taller girl. They weren't going to spread something like this without being cautious. The whole rumor/death incident had taught them that much, at Asakura's and Haruna's expense to be honest, but still.

"Maybe, maybe not," replied Kaede, still smiling. Where was the fun in revealing it just like that? It wasn't often she got a chance to tease others in her class, so she might as well enjoy it…

"Miss Nagase," someone said next to her. Her face betrayed a look of surprise as she recognized the voice. A quick glance at the expressions of the cheerleaders faces, staring at someone behind her, open mouthed, eyes wide, almost confirmed her suspicions. The fact which made her doubtful was the almost awe struck look in the trio's eyes._ And Luke, at the end of the day, wasn't that awe inspiring…_she thought, turning around to face him.

_On second thought…_

"What?" asked the blonde youth, glancing from Miss Nagase's face to the Mahora Cheerleading trio. "Something wrong?"

Kaede shook her negative, whilst the Cheerleaders, still wide eyed, simply stared. The blonde youth was, surprisingly, wearing something other than his usual worn, and frankly, tattered clothes. He was now clad in a pair of jeans, and a pristine white shirt contrasted sharply with the black jacket he was also wearing. His blonde hair was markedly longer now as well, with several strands falling over his left eye, which he kept brushing out of the way.

_Can hardly force Miss Nagase to hang out with someone who looks like they can barely afford to survive _Luke remembered Mr. Izashima commenting, and being forced to agree after checking himself out in the mirror. Although, now, standing in front of rumor central and his…_friend? Crush? Heck, what is she now anyways?! _

Luke felt himself growing slightly red. _Aw damn…why did I let him talk me into this? It's never going to work…well, at least the cheerleaders are slightly red too…_

_Wait, what?! _He looked at the trio again, noting how their faces had certain…flushed look to them? _Erm…hmm, well, wasn't expecting that…_

Clearing his throat, he held something out to the ninja. "Sorry for interrupting, but you left this behind," he said, holding out an envelope. The kunoichi took it automatically, still staring.

"Well…erm….I'd better be, you know, going," he coughed politely, before turning away and walking off, feeling his face burning. It took all his self restraint to prevent himself from breaking into a sprint and running all the way back to Izashima's shop.

The four girls watched him go, staring at his back until he rounded a corner. Then, slowly, they all looked at the envelope.

"K-kaede?" stammered Misa, still red. "What is it?"

"I…don't know de gozaru," she replied, slightly confused. She carefully opened the envelope and pulled out a letter. "What the…?" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise as she read the letter.

Misa leaned over and quickly skimmed read the paper in the taller girl's hands. Her eyes went even wider then before she burst into a fit of giggles.

"What is it…?" started Sakurako, then caught sight of what was written. Her eyes went wide as well and she looked at Misa. _No way!_ she mouthed. _Yes way!_ mouthed back Misa, her eyes sparkling with merriment.

"What's going on?" asked Madoka, catching the silent exchange happen behind Kaede's shoulders.

"Luke just asked Kaede out on a date," answered Sakurako, smiling widely.

"Just like an English gentleman would," added Misa, indicating the letter. "And it's to our little celebration, no less!"

Madoka looked at her friends before sighing. "Well, then I suppose he accepted the invitation then."

Sudden footsteps echoed down the corridor, heralding Negi Springfield's arrival. The cheerleaders shared one last glance before going back into the class, dismayed at being forced to withhold this groundbreaking piece of gossip until break at the earliest. Kaede followed them in, putting the invitation into her pocket, still slightly stunned by Luke's bold move. Suddenly, she broke out into a smile. He'd taken her by surprise yet again, which was one of the things she enjoyed. Out of all the people she knew, only Luke could honestly surprise her again and again, and himself too.

The door slid shut behind them as Negi rounded the corner, Chamo perched on his shoulder, anxiously whispering into the boy's ear.

"This is no good big bro! Even I've searched for information using the mage-net, and nothing! Luke does not exist at this point in time!"

Negi froze. Chamo realized what he had just said.

"Chamo, you're a genius!" breathed the child prodigy.

"Indeed I am," replied the ermine, pulling out a victory cigarette to celebrate his great idea, playing along to Negi's expectations of him.

"But then that would mean he'd need a Cassiopeia…" continued Negi, trailing off as he froze in his tracks. And groaned.

The ermine chuckled slightly. "It's his watch, isn't it?"

"Chamo, this is bad! Last time we had a time traveler here….well, it did not go too well!"

"Whoa, wait a minute here Negi, nothing's definite as far as that guy is concerned, he might not be some sort of crazed time mage to watch out for!"

"Wait, since when are you the voice of reason?" asked the ten year old incredulously, shelving his suspicions for an after school talk with Takamichi. For now, he had a class to teach.

* * *

Luke was now sprinting flat out through Mahora, back to Izashima's shop. His breath came in short ragged gasps. He hadn't run like this in ages. The last time was…

_Ah, that's right. Library Island. Up a LOT of stairs. And then…_ He blotted out that particular memory. When it came down to it, it was humiliating to say the least. He'd over reacted in a massive way, and had almost killed himself too. If not for that angel…

He froze suddenly, and groaned as he slapped his forehead.

_Oh God no, I forgot to thank her!_

He stood still for a second, before simply resolving to thank her as soon as he got the chance. For now though, he had to get back to Izashima's and have a nice long chat. Why?

Girls looking at him flushed + Izashima giving him a drink before he left + certain story he heard from Professor Springfield regarding magical mishapsMeddling.

Luke closed his eyes as he resumed his venture back to the shop, this time walking at a brisk pace. _That old man meddles far too much_ he thought with a smile. _Shame he thought I needed a hint of love potion to pull it off though…_


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

**Destroyers Deal Death**

The harbor was quiet, with the occasional drunken voice breaking the silence. In the dock, there was only one ship. And crowded on the pier were several figures, shrouded by the darkness.

"So is that all you require?" asked a short, unpleasant man, staring nastily at the scarred face in front of him.

"Of course. We should be able to make a good profit off this stuff over in Japan," answered the man in front of him, chewing on a cigarette. His face was heavily scarred, and two massive serpent tattoos wound their way around his bulky arms. His voice was tinged with a Chinese accent.

"Good, now as to payment..." started the shorter man, clad in an expensive pin-striped suit, glancing at his flanking associates, massive brutes who barely fit into the suits they wore.

The Chinese male grinned toothily. "We had something prepared," he said, motioning two figures forward. Out of the shadows stepped another burly sailor, pinning the arms behind the second, smaller figure. A girl, no more than eighteen, with wide, fearful eyes. The short, fat man chuckled.

"Yes, this will do fine..." he hissed, eyeing the girl hungrily.

"Scum," said a voice.

"What?!" asked the Chinese sailor, spinning around, glancing about in panic. The business man's eyes went wide as they darted around the pier, trying to locate the speaker.

"Who's there?!"

"You deal with humans as if they were common livestock, you sell poison to ignorant children. Why should I tell you who I am?" mocked the voice, a faint hiss detectable beneath the scorn.

"Don't toy with me!" raged the short man as his bodyguards drew firearms. "I am well connected! I can have you killed like that!" he finished, snapping his fingers. The sailors in this time had formed into a protective huddle, facing outwards, various knives and billhooks drawn.

"Kill me? Fast? Really? I doubt that, seeing as you're already dead!" laughed the harsh, metallic voice.

The man in the suit blinked, stupefied. He raised his left hand to clear his eyes, yet it refused to obey him. He glanced down, only to be confronted by the neatly severed stump of his left shoulder. Words failed him as he watched the blood fountain out, coloring the stones of the pier crimson. He looked up at the horrified sailors as the blade passed cleanly through his neck, sending his head flying through the air into the water with a quiet splash. The decapitated corpse shuddered once and fell to the floor.

There was an ominous silence.

"What are you waiting for?" asked the voice again, obviously enjoying the panic rippling through the survivors. "RUN!" it roared ecstatically. The two bodyguards shared a horrified glance before their arms dropped off suddenly, blood flowing freely from the wounds. In between them, Maiden stood, smiling. Spinning once on her skates, she gently spun her blade in a full circle, cutting the massive brutes in half.

"You heard him," she giggled, watching the blood splash onto the stoned around her, skating through it to draw pretty patterns. "If you don't hurry we'll get you all!"

The sailors took one look at the blood soaked teenager before turning around and as one running back to their ship. They didn't make it far. With a robotic roar, Seeker burst from below the pier in front of them. His claws flashed once, and the two leading men were torn in half, their sides falling apart as their body fluids spilt all over the cobblestones. A third man, eyes wide in terror, swung his crude billhook at the metallic monstrosity towering over him, yet that was blocked by the Seeker's tail, before it wound itself around the man's arm and crushed it. His face drained of color and he fell to his knees, crying like a little girl, before Seeker bit his head off. Spitting out the foul flesh, he watched the remaining sailors dive into the water to avoid his wrath. It wouldn't help them.

"Alright Muse, play us something," he hissed into the communicator, blood dripping form his steel fangs.

"Any requests?" crackled the reply.

Seeker and Maiden shared a glance. "We Will Rock You seems appropriate."

"Done," came the answer, and at once, Seeker could feel his metallic bones vibrating to the beat Muse was pounding out on his guitar. In the bay in front of them, sudden explosions burst through the water's surface, tinted red with blood. Seeker smiled and idly began to clap along to the tune as the fleeing sailors exploded from the throbbing beat, their internal organs beating along until the pressure inside them caused the men to literally pop like bubbles.

"Seek, what do we do with her?" Maiden asked suddenly from behind him. He turned around, the gears in his armor grinding against each other, causing a horrific screech. He looked at a small girl, on her knees, crying in fear.

"Leave her," he snorted, turning his back on the pitiful scene. "We've killed enough for one day."

* * *

"Scum," snarled Seeker, hurling another eviscerated body overboard. Not that he had anything against the remains themselves…alright, he did, but that wasn't the point. The point was that there were over four hundred of the damned things, and it was starting to smell. Real bad. And so they had no choice but to go out on deck and hurl chunks of flesh into the surrounding water. The cold blooded machine hoped some sharks would show up, but didn't think it was likely even a full shoal of great whites could get through this lot.

His silver-white armor was now drenched in gore and the buzzing of the flies was beginning to become maddening. Twice Seeker had torched great clouds of the annoying little insects, his gouts of blue flame like a beacon in the harsh daylight. But worst of all, was the fact there was nothing to do on this damned ship. Put simply, he was bored, and the last of the captives had been torn apart ages ago.

"Oi, Seek, what do I do with this?" he heard Muse call from below deck. Sighing, he clanked over to the edge of the cargo hold entrance and peered in. He could make out the dark outline of the Shagohod in the interior of the disused tanker, tied down with heavy chains, and still bloody swaying with the ship. He growled in frustration as he watched Muse on top of the machine, effortlessly keeping balance as the ship tilted sharply to the left. Around him were stacks of crates filled with heroin. Seeker snorted in disgust.

_Traveling in a ship belonging to drug dealers. Oh how we have fallen! _

He looked away, gazing at the bloody mess that was what remained of the crew. Each one was more corrupt than the last. Scum of the earth. They would not be missed. Just like those goddamn soldiers back at that complex and that corrupt mayor back on the dock…

"Erm, Seek? What do I do with this crap?" asked Muse again, slightly annoyed at being ignored.

"Once we reach land, torch the ship along with all that," replied the Seeker. "Burn it. Burn it all. Let nothing remain of this hunk of junk and the crap it carried."

"Do you mean the crew or that?" asked Muse with a smile, pointing at the crates.

"What's the difference?" asked the killing machine coldly, thudding away to resume his dirty work.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter Forty**

**Three Gentlemen, Three Destroyers**

"God," BANG "Damn," BANG "All," BANG "This!" BANG

Izashima sighed heavily as he watched his student in the matters of the heart take out his frustration on himself. Not that he had anything against it, but the counter was starting to get dented. There was another loud BANG as Luke hit his head on the polished oak surface on more time for good measure.

"Finished?" asked the man, running his hand through the shoulder long silvery-white hair he had.

"Quite," replied the youth, straightening out as if nothing abnormal had happened. Considering that this was Luke however, nothing abnormal_ had_ happened.

"Alright, so you took care of the hard part, what's left?" asked the old man casually, reaching for his paper on the counter.

"Don't be so sure of yourself," replied Luke, grabbing the paper before his employer could reach it. "There is a good chance she'll refuse."

"Hah, what makes you so sure?" countered the older male, looking at the blonde boy over the top of his glasses.

"She may refuse so as to not stick out at the celebration." _Celebration_. Luke flat out refused to call it a party, no matter what. Makoto Izashima sighed again.

"Stick out? I was under the impression that she's the tallest girl in the class. And she'll be with you. You're her height after all, she won't stick out that much."

"Not what I meant, but a good point never the less," answered Luke, nodding sagely. "I was thinking more along the lines of her being one of the few girls with dates there."

Izashima sweat dropped. "Ah…fair enough. But why would she refuse you because of something like that?"

"So as to not make her classmates jealous?" countered Luke, his expression thoughtful. "She is loyal to her friends in that way."

"Hang on," said the old man, seeing where Luke's reasoning was going. "Tread carefully here. Trying to hook up the other girls with dates is sure to make a severe mess of everything."

"Not really," replied Luke, an evil glint in his eye. "Just make a group of them have escorts, and everything will be fine."

Izashima looked at his assistant, and slowly smiled.

"What did you have in mind?"

Luke grinned back. "It involved this," he said, holding up a clear plastic tube filled with candy, "and two certain boys who happen to be indebted to me."

Izashima understood immediately. He thwacked the counter heartily and roared with laughter. "Damn, but that's brilliant! You're going to have to video that episode for me!"

"I'll see what I can do," replied Luke, grabbing his bag and heading for the door. "Let's hope they can spare the time…"

* * *

"You damn dog," spat the youth, contempt evident in his eyes.

Kotaro grinned evilly. "I get that a lot, what does that make you then?" he queried, lashing out with his foot. It connected sharply with the older boy's mid-section and sent him sprawling.

"Heh, let that be a lesson to you," smirked the half-demon, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Kotaro!" cried a voice disapprovingly.

The young lad froze, the blood draining from his face. "H-h-hi Chizuru…" he began shakily, trying to come up with an excuse.

"Kotaro! What have I said about getting into fights? You always end up so dirty!" accused the well developed girl, coming up behind him.

"Aw, come on! It wasn't my fault!"

"True, but you shouldn't let yourself be provoked that easily," she added, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. The young boy bit back a retort at the unexpected contact. This was going to turn out really bad unless-

"Kotaro! There you are! I've been looking for you!" exclaimed Luke happily, skidding to a stop just in front of the pair.

_Perfect timing_ mouthed the lycanthrope to his older classmate. Luke looked at him, then at Chizuru, and smiled suddenly. Kotaro felt his insides go cold. The blonde had a calculating look in his eyes.

"Am I interrupting something? Sorry, I can come back later…" offered Luke, smiling sweetly as Kotaro blanched.

"Thanks Luke," replied Chizuru with a smile. "I was going to get Kotaro to take a bath actually, so if you can come back after that-"

Luke caught the look of abject horror on the younger boy's face, followed by a silent _HELP ME OR ELSE! _

"Actually, I'm sorry, but if it's something mundane like that, it'll have to wait," Luke interjected quickly, noting the look of surprise on the girl's face. He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, you can have your way with him in five minutes."

With that he grabbed the younger boy and sped off, leaving behind a slightly confused Chizuru.

After about three minutes in a dead sprint with a surprised Kotaro slung over his shoulder, Luke slid to a stop upon reaching the World Tree. Kotaro glanced at the blonde once he was put down. The youth was bent double breathing hard. "So what is it you need to talk to me about?"

The older lad stood up and regained his composure in record time. "Well, seeing that I just saved you from some extreme petting-" Kotaro blushed slightly at this, "-I'd say that you owe me a favor. And I intend to collect."

"Wait, what?! I don't have to do anything a weakling like you asks me!"

"Heh, then perhaps I should tell Chizuru about your fondness for being scratched behind the ears…"

The brash boy paled. "You wouldn't."

Luke put on his best evil grin. "Wouldn't I? Don't forget the amount of times you sent me to the infirmary, and that time involving Mei and-" the rest of the sentence was cut off by the wolf-boy pouncing on him and clamping his mouth shut.

"Alright, you win!" he hissed, half in anger, half in fear; glancing about to make sure no one overheard the previous exchange.

Luke smiled. _One down, one to go…wait a minute, why wasn't Miss Chizuru in class?! _

* * *

"And so class, any problems regarding your homework should be addressed to me by tomorrow afternoon latest!" Negi said, just as the bell rang. He turned his back on his class and sighed heavily. Teaching them was becoming more and more taxing. And now even the cheerleaders were seeing it fit to ignore him. How could he become a qualified mage if he couldn't even keep thirty girls under control? He heard the rushed scraping of chairs and the excited babble dying away as the classroom was abandoned once more.

"What a day…" sighed the ten year old, allowing the full weight of the past month to crash down on him as he flopped onto his chair.

"Eh, big bro, it ain't all bad! After all, the lessons are going a lot smoother now-" said Chamo, popping up from Negi's pocket.

"They're ignoring me," cut off Negi flatly. He cradled his head in his arms. "I'm failing this Chamo, I just can't keep up with this."

"Don't worry, mention it to the dean later on today," suggested the ermine helpfully.

"See the dean…? Why did I need to do that again?" asked the boy tiredly, looking at his familiar blearily.

"Ahem, regarding Luke and his watch?"

"Oh, right. That," Negi sighed, slightly depressed at the prospect of having to do more work before being finally granted the luxury of a soft bed and peaceful sleep.

"Afternoon Sir!" said a male voice brightly.

Negi cracked an eye open, only to be confronted by Luke. "Hello. What can I do for you?" he answered in a monotone.

"Well, I was going to ask for a favor, but frankly sir, you look like hell," was his reply.

Negi sighed. "This isn't easy you know. You should try it sometime, see how it feels…"

"…Deal!"

Negi looked at the boy. "What?!"

Luke smiled sympathetically at the child. "It looks like you could use a break, and I need a favor, so it means I'll be indebted to you as well, so might as well kill two birds with one stone, eh professor?"

The child prodigy stared at him. "Who are you and what have you done with Luke Mason?"

The blonde boys smile vanished. "What? I'm offering to help!"

"Coming from the person who regarded his last job as my assistant as the equivalent of a death wish," retorted Negi.

"…touché. Yet I am willing to try again, for your sake professor."

"Exploitative little sneak aren't you?" commented Chamo, almost appraisingly.

"Nope," replied Luke with an easy grin. "A gentleman is always prepared to make sacrifices to achieve his aims!"

"Oh I get it, so by sacrificing yourself for a while, I end up owing you for some time off, and so whatever you're planning has my involvement?" guessed Negi.

"That's about it, yeah."

"We'll do it!" cheered Chamo, smoking another cigarette. Whatever this scheme was, there was surely some way of making a quick buck or two off it, and it gave Negi time off to rest. After all, the kid needed it.

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time he'd finished, but it was worth it.

"Busy day?" asked Izashima in a bored voice, reading his ever present paper again, feet propped up on the counter.

"Yep. The celebration is in two days, so that gives me tomorrow to figure out a plan with Negi and Kotaro."

The shop keeper looked sharply at him. "You got them to accept? How?"

Luke simply smiled in triumph. "What would a gentleman do in their position?"

Izashima smiled slyly at him. "Hohohoh, the tables have turned then?"

"Oh yeah," replied the youth grinning in triumph.

* * *

"For the last time, STARBOARD MEANS RIGHT!" roared Seeker as another wave crashed down upon him. His metallic claws anchored him in position as the barrels around him were swept overboard. The rope he was holding was nearly frayed from the tension, and the cargo crates he was lashing down were teetering dangerously.

He could see Muse's jaw clench, even though the artist was at the other end of the tanker, in the bridge, wrestling with the steering wheel. He could make out the words the youth was saying simply by reading his lips.

_Not. My. Bloody. FAULT!_

Seeker cursed loudly, the howling wind snatching the words away before they could be heard. Thanks to the navigational skills of the two idiots he was traveling with, they had winded up in the middle of a typhoon on their way to Japan. So here they were, trying to keep this hunk of crap floating whilst steering their way out of this colossal mess. He snarled, the gears in his amour squealing in protest as he yanked the metal line down and quickly secured it to the fastenings built into the deck of the ship. His oversized steel gauntlets did the work quickly and surprisingly delicately, not wanting to break the fragile heavy duty iron hoop welded into the ships hull. Another wave crashed onto him, blurring his vision.

The cybernetic dragon took a calming breath as a thin line swept over his visor, clearing away the water. Then, he calmly turned around, raised his clawed foot, and slammed it into the stack of cargo containers towering behind him. The tower quaked once and fell apart as the container he had vented his frustration on was sent flying off the ship, skipping three times along the surface of the water before being buried by another wave. The crushingly heavy containers began to fall on him, almost lazily as his combat senses kicked in, altering his reaction time.

He spun gently as the first container crashed down, almost grazing him, and bouncing back up from its momentum. Continuing his spin, Seeker elbowed it softly, hurling it away overboard as well. The third crate was going to land right on top of him, so he simply leaned back until his arms hit the ground, and he pushed his legs up at the container. It landed heavily, the steel side becoming dented as he absorbed the force of the impact whilst standing on his hands. He then kicked out, throwing the massive hunk of metal skywards. Leaping onto his feet once more, he met the final tumbling container head-on. Literally. Silently, his senses making it seem as if the whole world had turned sluggish, he hurled himself at the final target he had made for himself, head butting it with such force as to tear it in two.

It all occurred in two seconds.

* * *

"Seeker's pissed again."

"You don't say," said Muse, rolling his eyes as he watched the machine tear up a stack of cargo containers over ten times his size.

"I do say," teased Maiden, skating around the bridge gleefully.

Muse groaned inwardly. Given a choice, he would have preferred to have to share this tiny room with the eight-foot tall killing machine rather than that childish girl. At least he could relate to that thing on some basic level. After all, they had both been normal males once, right?

He glanced once more through the rain beaten window onto the deck, the storm making it difficult to see. Another vicious wave hit the side of the ship, tilting it dangerously. Muse kept his balance easily as the ship nearly turned onto its side, Maiden squeaking in protest as she was sent flying into the wall behind. Muse smiled slightly at that, hauling at the wheel he was grasping, trying to keep the blasted ship steady. There was a sudden clang, and he found himself staring into Seeker's helm. He raised an eyebrow quizzically at the lean cyborg. The creature simply hissed back before punching him through the window. Muse was hurled against the back wall with such force he actually left a dent.

"That's for being a piss-poor navigator," growled the silver cyborg as he tore his way into the bridge.

Maiden sighed as she finally stood up. "You could've used the door you know-" she was suddenly cut off as Seeker's tail wrapped around her throat and squeezed.

"Shut. Up." He spat at her, hurling her at Muse, before stomping off towards the staircase and heading into the bowels of the ship. "You weren't much better either."

Maiden looked up at Muse, nursing her neck. "B-brother spends more time with that tank than us!"

"I guess they have more in common," muttered the musician.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-One**

**The boys are back in town**

"And I though Negi's ideas were half-baked…"

"Living with Miss Naba seems to have influenced you, wolf-boy. I'd never have thought that I'd actually hear you say half-baked. Been taking cooking lessons from her?"

WHAM

"You were saying?"

"Nothing!"

There they were, walking casually down Mahora high street, relaxing. Furtive glances were cast their way, and excited whispers were their heralds. Negi glanced at Luke.

"Are you sure about this?"

Luke shrugged. "You said so yourself, she needs to build up her confidence more. And what better way to do that than at a dance in front of her friends?"

"Then why am I here?" interjected Kotaro, glaring daggers at the blonde youth.

"Well…you're going to be Miss Madoka's date of cour-" the rest of his sentence was cut off by Kotaro again, this time by the black haired teen grabbing his shirt and shaking him vigorously.

"Say WHAT?!" he roared into the blonde's face, which contorted in disgust.

"Urgh, Kotaro, sorry, but when was the last time you brushed your teeth?"

"Anyway," cut in Negi quickly, as the half-demon visibly colored at the remark, "what are we doing here? I thought it would make more sense to get some practice in…"

Luke nodded his thanks at the professor, answering curtly as he straightened his jacket. "Indeed. And we will be doing that, once we get some public appearances taken care of. Nothing better for generating hype, right?"

"I suppose…" replied Negi, remembering how his appearances after it was revealed he was a teacher became more and more…memorable to say the least.

"Why would we even want hype?" muttered Kotaro, glaring at anyone that looked their way for too long. Unfortunately, the girls who had been looking at him appraisingly just giggled when he stared daggers at them, cursing under his breath.

"You'll see," smirked Luke, pushing the door open and stepping into Izashima's.

The interior was brightly lit, daylight streaming in through the massive window making up the shop front. As soon as the trio crossed the threshold, the voices inside died down. Luke grinned, flanked by the now older versions of Negi and Kotaro.

Whatever the cheerleader's had been expecting when he had called them out here, it definitely hadn't been this. He took a moment to savor the expressions on their faces, for he was sure he'd never get another chance to do so. Sakurako and Misa seemed ready to pass out, and Madoka was visibly admiring Kotaro. Then the three girls seemed to realize what they were doing and snapped back into their respective personalities, Madoka looking away quickly, blushing, whilst Sakurako punched the air in victory, and Misa just looked at Luke slyly.

"You never told us you knew Nagi!" said the long haired girl with a mischievous grin. "Or Kotaro's cousin," she added, remembering the look Madoka had had when she saw the dark haired youth.

Luke rubbed the back of his head guiltily. "Yeah, it kinda didn't click in my mind that Ako's boyfriend would happen to be the Nagi I knew; after all, he never had much luck with girls back in England."

_Judging from what I heard about Anya from Chamo, that's certainly true_ he thought wryly.

"Excuse me?" asked the teenager on his left, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't have much luck either, which reminds me, when do I get to meet this girl of yours?" he asked with an easy grin, falling into the role of "Nagi" with ease and comfort. Luke was still astounded as to how the ten year old managed to essentially become someone else when in this form.

Not that it mattered now, he thought, feeling himself turn slightly red. "Ah, well….about that…"

The older version of Kotaro sighed and face palmed himself. "You guys are idiots."

"Heh, you're just saying that because you've never had a girl," countered Luke with a wink at Nagi. The other youth laughed and nodded in agreement.

Despite it being an illusion, Luke was enjoying the company of other boys his age. He never really hit it off within his class, and his only friends consisted of the few girls he interacted with on a regular basis.

The blonde boy noted quickly how Madoka seemed to perk up at hearing that the elder Kotaro had never had a girl before. He couldn't quite keep a grin off his face. .

"Good thing here he'll be spoilt for choice then, eh Nagi?" he said.

"Mhm, perhaps," pondered his companion, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Although he did seem to hit it off with Miss Madoka last time…"

"What?!" queried Luke, Madoka, and Kotaro in unison, one in disbelief, another in pure shock and the third in outrage.

Nagi just grinned in reply, tugging on his coat slightly. "Well, that's in the past. We should get going now. You did mention something about needing time to practice Luke."

"Practice what?" asked Sakurako, glancing at the three youths.

"Playing in a band," answered the blonde off-handedly. "Nagi is going to sing a song for Miss Ako," he added with a cunning smile.

"After you sing yours for your girlfriend," countered Nagi. If looks could kill, Luke would've left the room in a casket. Instead, he turned even more red,

"W-w-wait, when did we talk about that?!"

"Same time we talked about his song," replied Kotaro snidely.

Mentally, Luke cursed himself for going slightly too far. Out loud he simply said sheepishly, "Oh, yeah…"

"As entertaining as this all is," interrupted Mr. Izashima suddenly, his face contorted in a heroic effort to stop himself bursting into laughter at Luke's latest scheme, "it's a shame the six of you aren't outside enjoying yourselves. I'm sure the Mahora Cheerleading squad can come up with something…enjoyable for you to do?"

The three boys glanced at each other, sweat dropping as Sakurako once more punched the air in excitement. "Yes! I know just the place! And it'll let you get some practice in too!"

"We are NOT doing karaoke," Luke cut in straight away, with Kotaro nodding vigorously in agreement. Sakurako deflated slightly in response.

Misa stepped in. "Alright, how about the concert hall? No one uses it much and we'd love to hear you play!"

The trio of boys looked at one another again, wearing slightly worried expressions. Eventually, Nagi shrugged and answered "Sure, why not? We don't have a lot of time left to practice anyways, and we could use tutors like you."

The girls blushed visibly at the compliment. Today was turning out to be one hell of a day!

* * *

"China one-oh-nine, reduce speed now, you are approaching the docks. Do you copy?"

Static answered him.

"China one-oh-nine, reduce speed NOW! You are…" the operator trailed off as the prow of the Chinese tanker loomed out of the fog in front of the building. He opened his mouth to scream before the heavy ship ploughed into the docks, smashing into the operations building before grinding to a stop.

There was a momentary silence.

With a feral roar, the Shagohod erupted from the wrecked prow of the ship, flailing about with its crude arms and screeching at the night air. There was a flash of silver as something leapt down from the deck of the ship onto the hybrid tank. The machine turned slowly, spraying bullets at the few unfortunates who had gotten too close for their own good.

"Muse, stop messing around and MOVE!"

"Roger that."

The treads on the tank spun furiously as it fell down onto the Archimedes screws and set off again, a wrecked dock behind, Japan in front.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty-Two**

**Practice makes Perfect **

Luke finished his song, the words echoing around the auditorium before fading away. Feeling very self conscious, he regarded the cheerleaders as he waited for their opinion. Next to him "Nagi" let his guitar hang from the shoulder strap and flicked him a thumbs up. Though he couldn't see him, Luke was sure the Kotaro was imitating vomiting in disgust behind the drums he had played. The dog hanyo was surprisingly talented truth be told, as was Neg- sorry, _Nagi_ on the guitar he had borrowed. Luke plucked at the strings of the stock guitar he had used during the song, idly waiting for the judges' comments.

Misa cocked her head to the side, as if pondering something. Then a frown marred her features as she turned to Sakurako. "Alright you win this round. 50 lunch tickets it is then."

The shorter girl grinned in victory, flashing Luke an OK sign. He sweat dropped. She noticed this and laughed.

"See? I told you he'd be good!"

Luke sighed audibly in relief. That was the hard part over. His nervousness had been gnawing at him ever since they had entered the dark building and he'd seen the stage. That is where they would end up playing now, thanks to him not knowing when to shut up. He walked down the steps at the front of the stage, followed closely by Nagi and Kotaro. The blonde boy knew full well that once this was all over, he'd receive the beating of a lifetime from the half-demon, but for now was content with only worrying about avoiding any…misunderstandings with Miss Nagase. She had a good aim with her shuriken and daggers after all…

"I think there's no need for tutoring you Luke, you're quite skilled. How come you never mentioned this before?" queried Misa, turning to face him.

He shrugged slightly. "I...forgot I could sing," he answered truthfully.

"Yeah right," commented Sakurako, rolling her eyes. "More likely you knew we'd make you karaoke with us every night if we knew you could."

"That might have had something to do with it…"

"Luke always was rather shy," added Nagi, crossing his arms and smiling.

"You were loud enough for the both of us," countered the blonde. Kotaro snorted at that. "Moving on, I think its time for Nagi's song now," he continued, feeling his spirits rise at the prospect of hearing the fabled Professor Springfield singing a song for one of his students.

The other boy simply shrugged and went back to the stage where a rather bored Kotaro waited.

"This is so boring! Honestly, why do I have to do this?!" he snapped at the older version of Negi.

"Because you gave your word to help Luke out?" suggested the other youth.

"Oh yes, that's right. Damn my sense of pity," scoffed the elder version of Kotaro.

"Ok, time for you to shine!" interrupted Luke cheerily, joining them on stage. The cheerleaders were visibly anticipating this part of the show, eagerly paying attention to Nagi's performance.

The elder Kotaro sighed in boredom and sat back behind the drums, idly spinning the sticks in his hands. He was really beginning to regret agreeing to this. When he accepted this task, he had no idea it would end up so numbingly boring. He was a lone wolf, he thrived on action! What action would be had at a damn party?!

* * *

"So?"

"I spoke to our agents in Japan. Seeker made quite a mess of his landing. They're trying to blame it on the storm."

"Do you honestly expect them to fall for that?"

"No, but it will buy us some time."

"So it's finally happened…"

"Yes, Funny, isn't it? How history always repeats itself in one way or another."

"What do you mean?"

"Our own unit betrayed us, just like the America's did."

"…Foxhound?"

"And Cobra. Now we have our own version of events with the Corsairs."

"Aren't they calling themselves the Destroyers now?"

"Heh, indeed. I guess it was to be expected. They took that name after being devastated by the Clockwork incident."

"No matter. The problem is, we need to contain them before they cause anymore damage."

"So what are you doing about that?"

"Keeping this under wraps for now. My contacts in the Japanese military are taking care of the rest."

"Under wraps? If you manage to keep anything from the Philosopher's I'll be seriously impressed. So how will your contacts take care of this matter?"

"Either Seeker returns to us, or he'll be destroyed."

"I don't think he'll be thrilled at being made to come back here."

"Why? We saved his life did we not?"

"That we did. Question is, did he want to be saved?"

* * *

"This is Star leader. All units report in."

"Star one, ready and willing."

"Star two, weapons primed."

"Maintain formation. Follow my lead."

The leading fighter jet dived down through the clouds, its wing mates following, their white forms nearly invisible in the sky. The fighters screamed through the air, skimming the ground, shooting over their target before pulling up and around for another pass.

"Unknown Alpha, you are in a military zone. Follow escort to base. Do not resist or we will open fire. Do you copy?"

* * *

"Three MiG's? That's it?"

"Seems like it…"

"Muse, they don't seem to be taking us seriously. Show them a thing or two."

"Sure thing Seek."

* * *

Star leader watched the tank rolling over the ground at an astounding rate. He felt beads of sweat form on his brow as his body was crushed against his seat as he overtook the vehicle once more and looped up, setting himself up for a warning shot. His eyes narrowed as the target reticule slid over the metallic shape making its way through the plains.

A target lock chimed.

"Break!" screamed Star two.

Star leader's MiG exploded in a shower of fiery debris.

"What the hell was that?!" shouted Star one into his communicator.

"Surface to air missiles! Shit, loop round and splash him-AARRGHH!" the transmission ended with a blood curdling scream as Star two exploded.

Star one heard the warning chimes squawk, and he spun his plane in a helix roll. Two missiles sped past, their vapor trails missing his wings by mere inches. The pilot gaped. When the hell had those been fired? He pointed the nose of his fighter craft down and dived steeply, executing a wingover and coming up behind the tank. The rocket boosters where glowing blue form the intense heat. He flicked off the cover on his joystick. He was catching up. He licked his dry lips, blinking to clear his vision. An act of aggression had just been perpetrated. Firing was now one hell of a tempting option.

He never got the chance though.

His eyes went wide as the warning light beeped again, and the two missiles he had dodged fell right on top of him from above, one spearing into the cockpit. The fighter jet exploded.

* * *

"Three bogies down. Stowing missile tubes."

"That was pretty!" cried Maiden, sitting next to him, looking at the display screen in front of her showing the blazing wrecks of the planes.

Muse grinned viciously. "And that was just the tip of the iceberg. So what did you think of that _Seeker_?"

"You could use more practice. Bring down all your enemies in one fell swoop. That last one nearly managed to fire off a missile," came the reply over his headset.

"OK, I'll remember that."


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-Three**

**Do or Die time!**

Luke leant against the wall outside the dorms and exhaled slowly, trying to calm his hammering heartbeat. It was the evening of the big day, and he just could not calm himself down. His mind would not let him rest, worrying over pretty much everything, _what if_ this and _what if_ that's tumbling through his thoughts. He sighed as he face palmed himself.

_Why do I worry about this stuff now?! Gah, calm down. It's just a celebration, with music and drinks and enjoyment with friends-_

_I'm singing a song for her, what if she doesn't like it?_

_-and you're not alone, there are other males there too-_

_I'm taking her on a date, pure and simple. What if she sees it as an insult to her honor? _

_-and it's not like it's life threatening, like teaching 3A for a day will surely turn out to be…_

…_I think too much._

Luke sighed as he ran his hand through his blonde hair, looking at the other youths in his company.

Nagi; calmly humming to himself as he awaited Ako. Kotaro; arms crossed and looking bored as he always did whenever there wasn't any fighting going on, Serizawa, the bravest man Luke had ever known. He was going out with Miss Tatsumiya after all.

Luke smiled ruefully. _He's going with a sniper, Nagi and Kotaro with musicians, and I'm going with a ninja. Just another meeting between friends in Mahora. This place is just so…strange. Mages, vampires, werewolves-_

_What if she decides not to go?_

_-robots, mercenaries, ghosts, demons, kid teachers, this place has the lot! A bit like 3A actually-_

_What if she's going with me out of pity? _

_-I wonder how professor Springfield manages. Being ten and all, that's a lot of responsibility. That isn't right-_

_What if it's another one of her ploys? It's impossible for her to be serious about us so quickly, and she did enjoy the rumor incident…_

_-even if he is a mage, I mean, no ten year old should have that much responsibility. He should be with his family-_

_What if I'm walking into one gigantic prank organized by 3A as vengeance for the gas incident? They may have found out and are now avenging themselves on me…_

_-actually, what of his family? I hadn't exactly heard a lot about them, except his father being known as the Thousand Master and being some kind of grossly overpowered magic user-_

_Perhaps she would have preferred a different way of inviting her to accompany her? Maybe asking her in person would've worked, or perhaps I should have written it by hurling daggers at her wall to spell out the message…_

…_OK, that last thought was just plain insane. What the hell's wrong with me?! _

Luke face palmed himself again with a groan. He worried far too much. It wasn't as if this was a wedding, he was just going out with a girl for goodness sake! Of course, that's when the girls decided to make an appearance, effectively halting all his higher brain functions.

* * *

"So everyone ready?" asked Sakurako, bouncing around the common room as if she was a third member of the Narutaki twins.

Mana nodded stoically, wearing a simple white dress which she reserved for special occasions. Madoka and Misa also nodded in agreement, bedecked in their performing costumes. Ako was also dressed up in her band uniform, blissfully unaware as to who was waiting for her outside.

"Are you sure about this?" Kaede asked, turning to Misa.

"Of course!" replied the long haired girl with a smile. "He won't be able to take his eyes off you! I didn't know you even had one of those! "

"That is not what I meant, but thanks de gozaru. And I've always had this, for any…special occasion that might occur," the kunoichi finished with her trademark smile, leaving Misa to puzzle out her meaning.

"Alright! Let's get this show on the road!" exclaimed Sakurako excitedly, leading the way outside.

All too soon they were feeling the cool autumn breeze blowing against their skin. There was a moment of serenity.

"GAAAHHH!! Nagi!? W-w-what are you doing here?!" yelped Ako in pure shock, shattering the moment. Behind her, the cheerleaders shared a smile and a giggle at their friend's surprise.

He smiled in response, taking her hand. The nurse-in-training blushed furiously as he answered. "Waiting for you. We're going to the dance together of course."

If anything, she turned even redder as she began stammering. "W-w-w-what?! H-h-how did y-you even know about that?!"

"From Luke," replied the suave boy. Behind him Kotaro was grimacing at his friend's behavior.

"L-L-Luke?! But he never mentioned- I mean, I told him…"

Nagi laughed. "Don't worry so much, it doesn't suit you. Anyways, shall we get going?"

His date squeaked and glanced about, looking for her friends. Misa smiled encouragingly, Sakurako nodded with great enthusiasm, and Madoka just grinned. With a gulp, Ako nodded and went with Nagi.

"Well, that was…interesting," laughed Serizawa nervously, standing next to Mana. The sniper smiled slightly before going with him as well. The cheerleaders, still laughing at Ako's dramatic shock, hauled away the elder Kotaro as well.

Luke watched them go, not trusting himself to glance at Miss Nagase again.

"Well, shall we go too, de gozaru?" she asked, suddenly materializing next to him.

"Y-yes."

"Something wrong, de gozaru?"

Despite himself, Luke glanced at the girl next to him. She was dressed in a qipao, and frankly, looked stunning in the deep violet dress. Of course, considering how it clung to her body in the most provocative way, accentuating each of her-

_DO NOT GO THERE! _His mind screeched in warning, and he took a deep breath to compose himself, hoping that Miss Nagase didn't realize what was going on in his head, despite his best efforts. He heard a chuckle and saw she was smiling that smile again. Weakly, he smiled back and offered his arm. "Shall we?"

Still smiling her trademark smile, she looped her arm around his. "Of course de gozaru."

* * *

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"No."

"Bro, you're no fun!" cried Maiden despairingly.

"Go annoy Muse," retorted the dragon machine coldly, arms crossed.

"He's shut the cabin!" the smaller girl countered.

"Then go skate around for a bit."

"I did that yesterday! There's nothing to do here and Mina's hungry again!"

"That thing was born hungry," retorted the techno-mage.

"Aw, bro, that was mean! What if-"

"What if what?" queried the killing machine, glaring at her.

"Erm, never mind!"

"Good girl. Now go away."

"No!"

They stood there in silence for several more minutes.

"Seeker?"

"Yes?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Muse, I honestly think I'm going to kill her before this trip is out," spoke the cyborg into his communicator.

There was a laugh. "You've said that before. And we both know you won't fulfill that."

"I am sorely tempted to do so though."

"Seeker? Seeker? Don't ignore me Seek! Seek! Listen to me!" cried Maiden, waving her arms in front of his visor.

"What?" he sighed.

"Are we there yet?"

"…no."


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty-Four**

**Take to the stage**

"Ready?" asked Madoka with a smile.

"Why do I have to do this first?!" hissed Luke nervously, gulping.

"You lost the coin toss, only fair."

"But where the heck is Nagi?!"

"With Ako."

"That overgrown…" trailed off Luke.

Silence fell. So did darkness. Eyes glittering in the half-light. He could hear his own heart beating, almost deafening. The guitar felt heavy in his hands, and his sight was blurred.

_Breathe. Get it over with. _

He blinked, and smiled, catching sight of Miss Nagase's curious look.

_Heh, this she didn't expect. _

Taking a deep breath, he began to sing.

_I could stay awake just to hear you breathing  
Watch you smile while you are sleeping_

_I could stay lost in this moment forever  
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure_

A memory rose unbidden in his mind. Him and Miss Nagase in her bed together. The warmth and comfort, and of course the entire rumor thing afterwards. Well, it could have turned out a lot worse.…

_Don't want to close my eyes  
I don't want to fall asleep  
Cause I__'d miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing_

He sense Madoka behind him, grinning from ear to ear. A quick scan of the crowd. Miss Tatsumiya slowly dancing with Serizawa. The taller youth saw Luke looking his way and flicked him a thumbs up behind the sniper's back. Luke let his eyes move on from the pair, coming to rest on the cheerleaders, Sakurako and Misa, living up to their namesake, cheering him on silently.

_Lying close to you feeling your heart beating  
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming  
Wondering if its me you're seeing  
Then I kiss your eyes  
And thank God were together  
I just want to stay with you in this moment forever  
Forever and ever_

Inside, he was wondering about the wisdom of his choice of song. But in the end, the worse thing he could do was stop. _Girls don't like quitters_ he remembered Mr. Izashima saying with a wink.

_Don't want to close my eyes  
I don't want to fall asleep  
Cause I__'d miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
_

There. Nagi and Ako dancing slowly, the girl's head resting on the taller teenager's shoulder. Luke could just imagine Kotaro grimacing at witnessing such a thing, and stifled a laugh. That wolf was more clueless than him when it came to relationships, which was saying something.

_  
I don't want to miss one smile  
I don't want to miss one kiss  
I just want to be with you  
Right here with you, just like this  
I just want to hold you close  
Feel your heart so close to mine  
And just stay here in this moment  
For all the rest of time  
_

Kaede smiled to herself. Once more Luke had surprised her. And in such a pleasant way too. No one had ever sung a song for her. It was…nice. She couldn't help but laugh softly at his ironic choice of song, probably intentional too. That one time they did share a bed led to quite an adventure, though she doubted Luke saw it as such.

_  
Don't want to close my eyes  
I don't want to fall asleep  
Cause I__'d miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing_

* * *

The gentle breeze, the lights of the silent city glowing in the darkness. The road, snaking its way to their target. A colossal tree, also glowing was visible in the darkness.

"It's pretty!" commented Maiden, gazing across the river at the stunning view, idly sitting on top of the Shagohod.

"It does have an aura of majesty that is rarely present in schools," admitted Muse from deep within the war machine.

Seeker only shrugged in response. That was the closest he ever came to muttering a compliment. "

"Fascinating how Mother Nature dwarfs mankind's achievements," added the artist, gazing at the World Tree appreciatively. .

"Muse," growled the cyborg.

"Yes Seek?" queried Muse unperturbed.

"Cut the crap. Let's get going."

"Erm…we _are_ sneaking in right? How the hell are we meant to do it in this?" asked the musician, raising one of the Shagohod's arms for emphasis.

Seeker sighed and turned to Maiden, the small girl looking up at him expectantly.

"Maiden…go play," he said in resignation.

The red clad girl squealed in delight before launching herself off the back of the tank and skating across the impressive suspension bridge towards Mahora, her blade glinting in the moonlight.

"Oh. So we're _not_ sneaking in?"

The cyborg said nothing, watching the diminutive figure vanish into the darkness.

* * *

A small light buzzed on. Behind the counter, the old man looked up sadly.

"Already?" he sighed, pulling out a card from his shirt pocket. "That was sooner than expected."

He quickly stood up and donned his coat, walking briskly to the door. No point delaying the inevitable. His contacts had warned him, and it was time to heed them. He paused at the threshold, casting one last look at the dark interior of his shop, before sighing again and leaving it behind forever. Mahora would never be the same. No place was after it suffered the wrath of an avatar.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter Forty-Five**

**The Moment of Revelation**

_Hehe, it was a good plan._

_Until now. _

"Thank you for this de gozaru."

"Eh?"

Kaede laughed quietly. "This is a new experience for me," she replied, her head resting on his shoulder.

Luke was sure he was glowing red by now. "N-n-no problem," he managed to stammer out, thankful for the lack of eye contact as they spun slowly in a waltz as Nagi sang his song for Ako.

"I never knew you could dance," he said eventually, still looking anywhere but at her.

"You never asked," she replied softly, eyes closed in contentment.

"I never thought I'd need that kind of information…" he mumbled quietly, unsure of how to proceed.

"And yet here we are de gozaru."

"…indeed we are," Luke sighed. _Well, might as well enjoy it while it lasts_.

They danced for a few minutes more, until Nagi ended his song. They broke apart and shared a smile before leaving the floor behind.

"Well….that was pleasant," ventured the blonde eventually, scratching his head sheepishly. "A rather nice way to spend the evening-"

The kunoichi silenced him by placing a finger on his lips. "It isn't over yet," she said softly, her trademark smile back.

…_erm..._

* * *

"This place is soo pretty! I wish I came here when I was younger!"

_**Charming little place, I will admit dear. Unfortunately, we aren't here for the scenery. Your brother gave you a job to do. **_

"He told me to play!" retorted Maiden sullenly, crossing her arms as she skated. "And anyways, why should I do what he says, Mina?"

There was a sigh in her mind.

_**True dearest, but we cannot just mess around. You're a young woman now, not a girl. Act more your age. **_

"But I don't wanna!" pouted the teen, tossing her head back, letting her raven hair sway in the wind.

She could sense the smile of the demon within.

_**Aww, you're so cute when you complain! **_

"Thanks Mina," answered the girl with a smile, spinning about and increasing her speed. Mahora flashed by in a blur, and she drank it all in like a tourist. The beautiful parks, the various shops, the scents of tasty food. She giggled, slightly dizzy from all these new experiences.

_**Some fresher air will do wonders dearest.**_

"You're right," replied Maiden, altering her course. Within minutes she was skating up the trunk of the colossal tree she had seen from the river.

"This view is stunning!" breathed the young girl, sitting on a particularly wide branch, letting her legs dangle beneath her. She casually drew her blade, idly filing her nails along the rough surface of the dark half of her blade.

_**It is more amazing due to your viewpoint being natural. I've seen larger landscapes from the Eiffel tower, or the lighthouse at Alexandria. Yet those were built by men. This was fashioned by nature, and so is more amazing to view from – **_

_**Erm, Maiden, are you listening?**_

"Shhh!" replied the girl, eagerly watching something down below. "There's someone down there! Looks like a couple!"

_**Eh…**_

"Is it…a confession? Goody! I love romantic moments!"

_**Sometimes I cannot believe you are a weapon of war…**_

* * *

"Wow. I know this place was amazing, but at night…it's magical," breathed Luke, staring in wonder at the softly glowing tree.

"Yes de gozaru. Many legends surround the tree, tales of promise and love…"

Luke glanced sharply at her. She was up to something, he was sure.

* * *

"Ooooh, it's getting good!"

_**Right. Now why not go and-**_

"Quiet!"

* * *

"Wait, what?! The world tree…? Confession?!" stammered Luke, gaping at the ninja in shock. She just smiled back in response. _Wait, together forever?! THE HELL!? Where did this come from?! Not that I'm against the idea, but there is no way she feels like that about me after what, three months? _

"Luke," said the kunoichi softly.

Luke's thought process halted at the sound of her voice. He turned to her, gulping slightly. She just had to be wearing the most provocative clothing she could get away with in public. _Why is she teasing me so?_

"Yes?"

Kaede took a deep breath. Luke felt himself growing warm. This was not going to end well…

"I love you."

* * *

"Ah! She said it! Now reply in turn! Reply in turn!"

…_**calm down dear, it's their business.**_

But Maiden ignored the inner voice, engrossed in the scene before her as if it was her favorite soap opera.

* * *

"…well…" _JUST SAY IT YOU COWARD! _"I love you too…"

Further conversation was unnecessary.

* * *

"Wow. He said it…"

_**Hold it; you're too young to be watching that! **_

"They're just kissing silly!"

_**That's not th-**_

"…Mina?"

_**No…**_

"Mina?"

_**It can't be…**_

* * *

They broke apart from the passionate kiss, both rather flushed. Luke gulped slightly as Kaede smiled in joy.

_So that's it. My past traded for a future with Kaede? Is that what you meant Wilhelm? _

He smiled wanly before a lance of pain speared him in the chest. He gasped out in shock and fell to his knees, grabbing his sides as he doubled over in pain. His eyes went wide with shock. "What the…?"

"Luke!" he heard Kaede cry out as if she was miles away. He could hear his blood pounding in his head, and hellfire was burning his chest. Suddenly he felt the girl's arms around him, cradling him as the pain reached a crescendo and he cried out.

"Luke!" she cried out, holding his limp form up. He was groaning in pain.

And weeping blood.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"It hurts…my chest…"

She quickly reached out –

And sharply drew her hand back as she felt the heat emanating from beneath the youth's shirt. Steeling herself, she reached into the boy's shirt, clenching her teeth as she felt her hand being burned as she grabbed the item and drew it out before dropping it onto the ground. It was Luke's pocket watch, glowing white.

* * *

Mina was screaming.

"W-w-what's wrong?!"

_**G-g-go! G-G-GO NOW! **_screeched the demon inside.

"What's wrong!?"

_**He comes! He comes! **_

"Who?!"

_**CLOCKWORK! **_

Maiden vanished at once.

* * *

Luke was drifting in a haze of pain. Never had he felt like this. Typical. Just when his life takes a turn for the better, his bad luck strikes back with a vengeance.

_**It hurts, doesn't it?**_

_What? _

_**The pain. Unlike anything ever experienced by mortals…**_

_W-w-who are you? _

_**An old friend. Release yourself from this suffering! **_

_W-w-what?_

_**Open the watch! The time has come! Your memory is within grasp! OPEN IT!**_

_M-my m-memory? _

_**That is why you are here! Open it! **_

Luke felt his pulse quicken. True, disembodied voices couldn't be trusted, but when one was dying, what the heck?

"K-k-kaede…" he gasped out, trying to concentrate.

"Don't talk. Save your strength," she replied in terse tones.

Despite himself, Luke grinned. So like her, always professional about everything, never letting her emotions interfere. "No…my watch…give it to me."

She could sense her stiffening. "Why, de gozaru?"

"You trusted me…so far, why…doubt me now?"

* * *

"Nononononononono!" chanted Maiden, eyes wide with panic, speeding past bewildered pedestrians as she raced back to the relative safety of her brothers. All hell was about to break loose.

"Maiden?!"

She turned, catching a glimpse of the speaker as she sped past.

_**Oh great, Chaplain's here too! **_

* * *

In the World Tree Plaza, full of trepidation, anticipation, and slight fear, Luke opened his watch.

* * *

"Clockwork's here," said Seeker suddenly, his head snapping around to look at the glowing tree.

"Shit," responded Muse, his eyes growing wide.

"Power up the Shagohod. This is serious."

"Of all the places…why is he here?!"

* * *

Izashima staggered suddenly, as if struck physically. His eyes went wide in shock, everything becoming clear to him in an instant.

"Oh Luke…"

* * *

"Are you alright de gozaru?" queried Kaede, staring at the boy in front of her. He had thrown her away after opening the watch, and was now huddled on the ground, streams of blood flowing from his eyes.

"S-s-so much blood…s-so m-many lives…" he whispered hoarsely. His head snapped up and he stared at her through his bloodied eyes. "S-s-stay away…"

"W-what?" she asked, confusion etched onto her face,

"STAY AWAY!" he screeched, staggering to his feet drunkenly. "STAY AWAY!"

"Luke! What's going on?" asked the kunoichi, reflexively adopting a fighting stance.

The youth simple screamed in pain and fury before vanishing in a cloud of dust and blood.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter Forty-Six**

**For Truth**

"What…?" breathed the kunoichi, staring at the place the youth had been huddled scant moments before. There was nothing to mark his presence except a puddle of blood, mixed with a golden dust.

"Miss Nagase?"

She turned as a hand fell on her shoulder.

"You're Luke's friend, aren't you, de gozaru?"

Mr. Izashima nodded slowly. "You could say that. Where is Luke?"

She looked back to where the boy had vanished. "He…disappeared."

Izashima sighed sadly. "Then I think you'd better get help. Things are about to get messy."

"What do you mean de gozaru?" asked the girl, looking back at the older man.

He spared her a glance, remembering his time with Luke. The youth had been most complimentary of her in their little talks. He supposed it was only fair to let her know. Luke would want it that way.

"Well…the thing is…I just realized I've met Luke before."

"What?! Where, de gozaru?" asked the kunoichi, staring at him intently.

"A military base in Europe…"

"What?!"

"He was the crown jewel of the Corsair unit…" continued Izashima, closing his eyes.

* * *

_The sun was at its zenith, basking the ground below in a harsh light. The man known as Chaplain raised an arm to shadow his eyes from the orb's fiery glare. Down in the valley below, he could make out four figures. _

_The Corsairs. _

_Barely reaching their teens, the children laughed as they battled each other, weaving amongst the blows flying around them. The man watched as a dark haired lad swung a punch at his blonde twin, whilst another boy, this one with brown hair, lashed out with his heel at the same opponent. The blonde child simply laughed as he leapt up, leaving the two boys to hit each other. He landed nimble a yard away from them, immediately ducking beneath a vicious swipe from the only girl in the group, laughing joyously. The blonde grabbed her arm and threw her over his shoulder into the two other combatants, knocking the three to the ground. _

_Chaplain sighed softly as he walked down to them. _

"_You lost again!" crowed the blonde boy. In the complex, he was known as Clockwork. _

"_No fair! You used her against us!" replied the black haired boy, rubbing his head. That would be Seeker. _

"_Aw give it up Seek, he won fair and square," groaned the boy beneath him, burying his face in the soft grass. Muse. He always had been the most even tempered of the group. _

_The girl was busy meanwhile sobbing. "B-b-b-but he t-t-hrew me! I'm just a girl! You don't do that to girls!" _

"_Maiden, none of that matters on the battlefield! Everyone is an enemy! They won't spare you because you're a girl!" lectured Clockwork, turning his back on his heaped friends and regarded Chaplain. "Something wrong?" _

_The elderly man just grinned at him. "Nothing wrong Clock. Everything's going swimmingly. However, it is time for more medication." _

"_That time again? Damn, but I suppose there's no helping it." _

"_Quite," nodded Chaplain, smiling at the boy. Yet his grip on his staff tightened viciously. _This isn't right…

"_Well, I suppose I'd better get going then," grinned Clockwork, waving at his friends. "I'll see you lot later." _

"_Yeah, bye." _

_The blonde boy jogged away, up the slope back to the laboratory. _

_Chaplain watched him go, his teeth grinding at the boy's willful submission to the treatments. _Why does he agree to it…?

* * *

"What do you mean?" queried Kaede, tilting her head in worry.

"I've said enough already," replied Izashima, turning away form her. "Go warn everyone, tell them to beware of the Corsairs."

"Why, de gozaru?"

"They're already here," he answered curtly before marching away from her. "For the rest of Luke's past, why not ask him?"

* * *

"Brother! We've got a prob-" cried out Maiden, before yelping in shock and leaping to the side as the Shagohod rumbled past. She reached out and grabbed one of the metal rungs studding its side, swinging up to the top of the vehicle.

"We already know," cackled Muse's voice from inside the colossal machine.

The young girl looked up at Seeker, standing stoically atop the metallic behemoth. "Seeker? Are you sure about this?"

"Fate has granted us her boon. Six years we have waited for this moment. Our mission has not changed. We are still here in the name of vengeance."

"But…"

"But nothing! He abandoned us Maiden, remember? He left us there to rot!" snarled the cybernetic dragon, silencing the child with a glare.

* * *

_Klaxons were blaring, red lights flickering all over the corridor. The black haired boy sighed as he collapsed onto his back, tears running down his eyes as he stared blearily upwards. _

"_W-w-why?" he gasped out, coughing up blood as the jagged hole in his chest wept blood. Shattered ribs could be seen protruding from the mangled flesh surrounding the wound. _

"_Where I'm going, you cannot follow. Your place is here," answered Clockwork coldly, the beating heart still in his hand. With a snort, he crushed it in his grip, blood spraying everywhere. _

"_B-b-but why? Why this? We're family aren't we? We should go together…" sighed the dying boy heavily, heaving up more blood. _

"_It's better this way. You have to remain. The world isn't ready for you. People would fear you, hate you…" _

"_How is it different for you?" Seeker managed to gasp out. _

_Clockwork grinned evilly. "I have a reason to leave. You do not." _

"_What? Why would you abandon us…?" _

"_Ask them yourself, fool. Those treatments, did you never even think of questioning why?" snarled his blonde twin, blue eyes blazing violently _

"_We…were…told...your health…" breathed Seeker, looking forlornly at Clockwork._

"_If you're that stupid, then you certainly do not deserve to leave," replied the young boy, turning his back on his dying twin. "Say hi to dad for me." _

"_B-b-bastard…" spat out Seeker, descending into darkness. _

* * *

"Adeat."

There was a whirl of air, and Izashima stepped out of the alley. He glanced both ways down the street before stalking away towards the river. His staff, topped with an eight-pointed star was in his gauntleted hands, and the black cloak swirled in the wind. His horned helm obscured his face, leaving only his eyes visible. His crimson armor clinked slightly as he strode amongst the dilapidated buildings, weaving his staff in complex patterns around him.

"Ancient spirits hear my cry,

I pray to slake your thirst,

Bring me one of darkness born,

And take this offering as your first."

The jagged gauntlet tore through the soft flesh of his exposed wrist. A trickle of blood floated upwards, trailing behind his staff.

"The axe of battle hungers,

I call on thee, Lord of Blood,

May midnight be your herald,

Unleash your fury like a flood."

The flow of blood thickened, a vast crimson ribbon fluttering behind his staff as he walked on. Yet he did not falter.

"I call upon thee,

I plead for aid,

Lend me thy strength,

For the souls I've paid."

The trail of blood floating around him burst into flame, illuminating the sharp edges of his crimson armor. He felt his body pulse with the power he was calling. Casting his arms wide, he roared at the sky.

"ALL IS BLOOD!"

* * *

"_Are you sure about this?!" _

"_Yes Clock. This is how it must be. Go." _

"_Thank you Chaplain," whispered the boy, vanishing down the corridor. He watched the boy run, smiling for the first time in a decade. It had to be this way. _

"_Freeze freak!" he heard someone cry._

_Chaplain let a tear fall from his eye as he turned around and began his ritual, spinning his staff in front of him in a circular motion. _

"_Spirits of Change hear my plea, _

_I stand against fate,_

_Defiant of her grand design,_

_Her hunger I shall not sate." _

_The soldiers began to cry out in panic, seeing the shadows around the armored figure shift and distort. _

"_The bird cries out, _

_Powers of sorcery I call,_

_The flock gathers,_

_United we shall not fall." _

_He froze his movement suddenly, glaring at the brainwashed soldiers in front of him. They were beyond redemption. _

"_Your blessing shall be thanked,_

_Your magic rewarded._

_In return for your power,_

_I shall give you the souls I've hoarded." _

_He threw his head back, the helm he wore buckling and shattering as a massive beak forced its way out of his face. _

"_LORD OF CHANGE! MAY YOUR CROWS FEAST ON THIS OFFERING!" screeched the Chaplain as massive, multi-colored feathered wings burst from his back. He had made his choice. There would be no going back now. _

* * *

Dust and blood were his herald. The roof shuddered as the hell spawned wind whirled over it, coalescing together into a huddled figure. He coughed violently, spattering blood over the tiles.

"God dammit…"

Glancing up, he glared at Mahora, his eyes replaced with two blazing blue orbs.

"Paradoxical fools…" uttered the figure, before growling in sudden pain and grabbing its head. "Urgh, get out! Get out!"

Crying in pain, he slammed his head into the tiles beneath him again and again.

"Get out! GET OUT!"

* * *

_He lay on the operating table, watching the harsh lights above flicker. They thought he was unconscious, scuttling around him like insects, tainting his flesh. Gears and springs replaced muscle, sand replaced blood. The arcane circle surrounding him glowed with darkness. _

_He stared silently at the ceiling above._

_He stared as the whirring blades descended. _

_He stared as his flesh was torn apart. _

_He stared as the chains embedded themselves within. _

_He stared as a single gold pocket watch replaced his heart. _


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

**For Honor**

"Drive faster bro!" cried Maiden from atop the tank, watching in glee as the screws churned up the road, hurling asphalt in all directions. People were screaming and scattering for shelter as the Shagohod roared down the road at top speed.

"This is strangely…entertaining," pondered Muse out loud, crushing another car beneath the vehicles treads. Chaos had come to Mahora. Sirens wailed as services rushed to aid those in need, and engines howled at the night sky as vehicles confronted each other in the narrow streets.

Seeker, as always, was silently standing on top of the vehicle, carelessly watching the world pass by. His auto-senses were pulsing softly with the beat of his mechanic heart. The screen on his HUD changed suddenly, becoming a mess of green wires criss-crossing a black field. The lines resolved themselves into the schematics of Mahora, showing him that they were traveling down a long avenue to led to a massive plaza in front of the tree he had seen earlier. But what interested him most was the red dot flashing angrily, and heading towards them at supernatural speed….

"Arm the guns," said the cyborg suddenly, coming out of his reverie.

"Why? Shooting these cowards won't be much fun," protested Muse, watching in disdain as the people around them ran and wept like frightened cattle.

"Chaplain's coming," answered Seeker, striding forward to the front of the machine, crouching down on top of the cockpit and banging twice on it with his metal fist. "You know what that means."

"This is almost too good to be true…" replied the musician, grinning in anticipation.

Maiden watched her brothers discuss the past once more. She yawned in boredom. This was not what she had expected when she first heard of Seeker's plan. The techno-sorcerer stood up, hissing coldly.

"He comes now. Maiden, Muse, this is our chance. Consider it a warm up before we wreak vengeance on Clockwork!"

Maiden perked up immediately and drew her slender blade. This was more like it!

They rounded a corner, and saw Chaplain for the first time after ten years. Or rather, what he had become…

"Aw shit…" swore Muse before a massive hoof slammed into the war machine.

* * *

"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Negi, staring in shock at the older teacher.

"We are under attack. You are to evacuate your students immediately!" Seruhiko repeated, waving his arms for emphasis. "Some rogue mages and a magical construct are rampaging around the district, and there are alarms of demonic incursion."

"R-r-right," stammered the ten year old, nodding his thanks for the warning.

Seruhiko uttered a quick "Good luck" before dashing off to evacuate his own class. Negi watched him go, feeling worry for his students grip his heart once more. He sighed heavily as he turned around and regarded the old hall where they were still partying. _Get them to leave? Easier said than done…_

"Oh, by the way…"

Negi turned, confronted with Seruhiko's face again.

"Headmaster's orders. Your are NOT to become involved in this. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Ok, good luck."

_Not get involved? Easier said than done…_

* * *

_**Poor child. Weak and helpless…**_

"S-s-shut up."

_**Now is that any way to greet an old friend?**_

"We were n-n-never friends you p-parasite!"

_**Oooh, strong language boy. **_

"SHUT UP!"

There was an evil laugh. _**You never were tolerant. Always complaining, always moaning, refusing to use the gifts you had been given. **_

"Curses you mean."

_**You have strength! Use it! **_

"No. Violence doesn't solve problems."

_**That doesn't seem to be stopping Chaplain though. Or Seeker. Or Maiden or even Muse. Only you. **_

"I cannot fight. I am human."

_**Do not make me laugh! You, human? Since when? Your little adventure here seems to have warped your mind young one.**_

He closed his eyes as he fell to his knees, feeling tears well up in his eyes. "S-s-shut up!"

_**No. You have forgotten your purpose! We left for a reason! My reason, not yours! I allowed you freedom, and look what you have done!**_

In front of them, he could make out a-

_-massive bird-like form, staff spinning-_

-vast black shape, bat wings stretched to their limit, bellowing at the sky. Chaplain.

_**Do not forget to who you owe your allegiance slave! ME! **_

"N-n-no…"

_**My, my, being difficult? Don't forget, I saved your life countless times! The blood debt must be repaid! Now do it! Repay your debt! YOU GAVE YOUR WORD!**_

"…a-a-alright…"

…_**what? That's it?! **_

"N-n-n-no. I have o-one last r-r-request…"

_**Why should I entreat it? **_

"N-n-no one else can open the watch…"

_**Why should I keep to a rash promise? **_

"You swore oath."

_**So you actually remember that…fine, I will grant you one favor, no more. Make it count, boy. **_

Luke closed his eyes, the pain unbearable. He had changed too much. He no longer could control the creature within. He cast one last glance at Mahora, the torture reaching a crescendo.

"I'm so sorry…"

* * *

"Urgh, what was that?" groaned Maiden, rubbing her head.

"Bastard kicked us?!" snarled Muse from inside the dented tank. "Let's get him Seek!"

"Correction, you get him," replied the cyber dragon tonelessly.

"_What?!" _

"We have complete faith in you!" added Maiden, standing up groggily. "Beat him up for us, we'll go take care of Clocky-boy!"

"B-but why me?!" queried Muse, his voice distorted by the speakers.

"The Shagohod is the best tool for the job, and you are the only one who knows how to control it," pointed out Seeker tiredly, jumping off the back of the machine as thunderous steps could be heard. "Consider it an honor. Chaplain will fall by your hand alone."

Muse fell silent at that, thinking. "Well…"

"Good! See ya!" cheered Maiden, before skating away as Seeker leapt up and scuttled along the buildings, away from the machine, leaving Muse alone. Deep inside the vehicle, the artist watched them go, then shrugged. If they wanted him to deal with this, then he had no choice but to comply-

A deep roar brought him back to reality.

"All right, Chaplain, let's rock and roll!" laughed Muse, the joy of battle filling him. He deftly manipulated the controls in front of him, spinning the tank around to face his foe. He raised the front section up, the screw-arms coming up, the attached weaponry growling as magic poured through the machinery.

The creature that had been Chaplain snarled at him, cracking its barbed whip as it took a step forward, the ground beneath its hooves smoldering. Massive, bat-like wings were hunched behind its shoulders, and the creature's grip on the colossal axe it bore tightened.

"_**You should not have come here Muse,**_" growled the creature, its voice coming from nowhere and everywhere.

"Shut up old man and fight!" roared the machine, the treads screaming as the wheels kicked in, launching the metallic behemoth forward.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter Forty-Eight**

**Gods of War**

The blood beast Chaplain had become bellowed in challenge. Lowering the massive horned head, it charged, the iron-shod hooves pounding out a rapid tempo as they thundered along the tarmac road. The creature shoved its way forwards between the buildings, the brass shoulder guards it wore tearing great chunks of masonry off each construction. Swinging the axe back in preparation of a fell blow, it gathered momentum.

It smelt the scent of battle, of blood yet to be spilt.

All Muse smelt was the acidic stench of oil and the dry, sandy air filling the cockpit of the Shagohod. His hands danced madly across the console in front of him, playing it like an insane organist. The vehicle responded to his every touch, making sweet music as the engines whirled, the ammunition clacked and the machine's spirit roared. He smiled insanely as his hands fluttered over the controls, the tank his instrument, him the composer. Just as it was meant to be.

The bulky machine screeched as it tore it's way forwards, the massive, primitive arms flailing wildly in front, carelessly shoving cars lining the road out of the way. The crashes they made as they landed against buildings only added to the melody being played. People screamed as they watched the two beings of war charge each other. A beautiful baseline.

Muse watched eagerly the display screen in front of him, licking his lips. The creature, the blood beast Chaplain had become filled the screen, its human face contorted in a snarl, the bull-like horns glinting as light struck the ivory. The branded mark on its forehead was clearly visible, screaming out to the world the monsters origins.

This was a deamon.

A true spirit of evil given form. Not those cheap knock offs running around the magical world. Those demons were pathetic mewling weaklings compared to the true servants of the dark. Creatures like the ones which inhabited the rest of the Corsairs

But thought stopped as time ran out. Like a legend of old, the two figureheads of war, one mystical, the other mechanical, met head on.

Chaplain swung the massive ornate axe down, the sharp edge slicing through the air. Unperturbed, Muse swung up the Shagohod's left arm up. The axe struck with a thunderclap, sparks blasting in all directions as the weapon tore into the machine's limb before becoming stuck fast. Muse howled in battle lust as he threw the right arm of the tank into his opponent's midsection, shoving the whirring screw into the brass plated torso. The contraptions powering the Archimedes screw roared as the thing juddered upon meeting infernal metal. Then with a keening screech, the armor buckled and tore, the Shagohod's right limb pushing into the daemon's unholy flesh.

There was a roar of pain.

Using the magically enhanced muscles, the monstrous deamon wrenched its axe free, taking a fair amount of the steel plating off the Shagohod's left limb. The wings on the blood beast's back lashed out furiously, buffeting the buildings surrounding the dueling duo. The barbed whip it bore snaked its way around the screw whirring in the creatures torso, wrapping around the offending weapon tightly. There was a single deafening crunch as the mighty grip crushed the machinery powering the screw. A roar of victory was cut short by a brutal blow to the head from the cleaved arm of the Shagohod, sending the daemon stumbling backwards, wings spread for balance, tearing off the roofs of the houses lining the road.

Muse yanked back violently on the levers before him, hearing the squeal of treads as the engines kicked into reverse, pitching him forward. Swearing viciously, he glanced up, seeing the receding form of the daemon righting itself. Muse growled in anger and punched an innocuous looking button on a side panel, immediately stopping the gargantuan machine in its tracks.

"Die now," hissed the musician, slapping the console in front of him. There was a silent shudder as various plates of armor slid from the tank's form, revealing the weaponry beneath.

_**My, how savage…**_

"Not now Lucius. I have to kill the old fool."

_**Sure. Like any of this would hurt him. Since when do you use machinery? It's almost Seeker-like.**_

"Stop distracting me!"

_**Suit yourself.**_

Muse shook his head clear. Having a daemon sharing one's head tended to make it rather difficult to concentrate. Especially when said daemon insisted on butting in at the most inopportune moments. There was a low rumble as the creature outside glared at him, relaxed in its stance. The youth inside felt no fear. He had risen above such petty concepts years before. His hand was rock steady as he gripped the joystick in front of him, watching the targeting reticule settle over the enemy's head.

"Survive this," muttered Muse, pulling the trigger.

The guns roared and rattled in their casings, spent ammunition clips flying in all directions as a thousand rounds were expended in a second. The lower end of the street vanished in a hell storm of fire and metal.

The blood drinker that was Chaplain swept its wings down, enveloping itself in a protective barrier. The munitions chewed into the beast, gouging great chunks of flesh from its frame, some rounds searing though the wings protecting its form and wedging themselves in the tainted flesh. There was a snarl of pain as Chaplain endured the onslaught for a full minute. The sheer force of the bullets was fording him back along the street, deep grooves in the asphalt the mark of his passing.

The guns fell silent.

With a roar, the daemon unfurled its bat wings, hurling out the bullets embedded inside. The metal remains flew at the opposing machine straight and true. But its armor was proof against such weak weaponry. Inside, Muse laughed as the bullets pinged off the heavy steel plating covering the Shagohod.

And was quickly shut up when the whole vehicle was hurled backwards, skidding along the road. Glancing up, he saw the daemon's twin horns protruding from the screen above him, piercing the cockpit entirely and continuing on out the other side. Muse gulped slightly as Chaplain roared in exaltation, wrenching his head free. The musician tilted both joysticks in his hand towards each other, swinging the brutal arms of the vehicle at the monster in front of him.

But the daemon was gone.

Only one place it could have gone.

"Activate AA guns now! Fill the sky with flak!" cried out Muse.

The guns on the behemoth's back immediately swiveled upwards, took a momentary pause to switch ammunition feeds, and sang once more. Black clouds blossomed above the tank.

It did no good of course.

Like the hell spawned angel it was, the blood drinker burst through the storm of shrapnel, diving dangerously straight at the machine. Chaplain bellowed in rage as he struck the machine like an avenging hawk.

Little could stop twenty tons of pure muscle and anger falling from a height of one hundred feet. The iron hooves struck heavily, tearing through the machines armor as if it wasn't there. Next came the bulk of the beast, widening the hole as the unbelievable mass forced its way down. The jagged metal tore at the creature's flesh, yet its fangs were gritted to hold the pain at bay. Pipes shattered and cables fell. Surges of magic, electricity and magic bounded throughout the interior of the machine.

Some things just cannot survive certain ordeals.

That was the only thought that penetrated Muse's stunned mind at Chaplain's bravado. And of course, in a frozen second, it led to an unpleasant chain of thought.

Some things can't survive certain ordeals.

The Shagohod can't survive twenty tonnes of daemonic flesh ploughing into it at 200kmh.

If it can't survive, that means it would have to cease to be.

And for that to happen…

_Aw crap_.

_**Beautifully put jackass. **_

The artist didn't bother replying. With a terrified yelp, he sprang out of the machine. There was a flash of pain as he tore through the metal shielding covering the cockpit, yet fear lent him strength. Well, fear and Lucius. Neither him nor his host wanted to be immolated after all.

He burst from the cockpit and leapt into the air.

Behind him, he heard Chaplain roar once more in victory.

And then a stray cable hit a ruptured fuel pipe.

Noise. Fire. Light. Chaos. Destruction.

Silence. Darkness. Peace.

* * *

_Several minutes later…_

* * *

…_**Seeker is going to kick our ass…**_

"You don't say," gulped Muse, standing up shakily from the gutter he had dived into. Not the most heroic thing to do, but hey, it kept him alive.

_**At least we beat the crap out of him… **_

Muse turned around, and saw the crumpled heap that had been his opponent. Scorch marks littered its form, and the great wings were shattered. Plates of armor littered whatever remained of the street, and the thing's black orbs watched him silently. "Thanks," he muttered to the creature within. "Without your help I would have been incinerated."

_**Don't take it personally. Don't forget, having you burnt to a crisp isn't exactly beneficial to me either…**_

"Selfish bastard aren't you?" he queried.

_**What self-respecting daemon isn't?**_

Muse didn't answer, pulling out his guitar with a feral smile. "Whatever. Time for my kind of fight."

_**Ah screw it…**_

"Shut up Lucius. See it this way: Seeker's methods failed. Spectacularly," he added, indicating the crater gouged out in the street, and rapidly fading creature. "So now we do it our way!"

_**Then let's not keep the audience waiting. **_

Muse smiled as he spun on his heel, his guitar held easily in his vice-like grip. "Alright. Now it's time to really let RIP!" shouted Muse ecstatically, striking up a tune on his guitar, feeling the winds of magic shift in response. No more dallying about with that hunk of junk Seeker had scavenged from the bottom of a gully. It was just him now, not Seeker. Chaplain had fallen. Who would be next? It was time to see what this fabled school could throw at him.

This was his performance. Nothing could stop the music of the apocalypse.

Nothing.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter Forty-Nine**

**Blade Dance**

"I sense something," said the machine, stopping suddenly.

Maiden rolled her eyes. "You always sense something."

_**Now now, dear, we mustn't antagonize the beast. **_

Maiden smiled slightly at Mina's statement. Her good mood evaporated when Seeker glanced down at her.

"I'll leave it to you," he hissed, hanging sideways off a wall. Then with s screech of metal, he continued n his way, the servo-muscles of his armor powering his leaps towards whatever destination he was heading for.

Maiden sighed as she spun slowly in a circle, staring at the night sky, alone in an abandoned street. The stars she saw were pretty. Her unsheathed blade was held in a calm, loose grip, and her raven hair was swaying gently with her movements.

_Now what? _

_**We wait, dearest. Muse's noise is bound to attract attention, and we will greet those who come. **_

* * *

Something was wrong. And she was not at Ojou-sama's side. That is all that mattered.

_Setsuna, have you found Konoka yet?_ queried Negi's voice in her head.

_Not yet sensei,_ was her swift mental reply. _I will find her soon._

_Good. We need to get everyone out of the academy right now! _

_**And what makes you think we'll let you? **_asked a feral voice coyly.

…_Setsuna, was that you? _

…_No. _

…_we have a problem. _

_**That depends. **_

_Who are you?_ demanded Negi over the telepathic link, the worry evident in his voice. Many could eavesdrop on a telepathic communication, but joining in without some sort of physical link with the one they're speaking to?

_**You will only be harmed if you interfere. **_

_We are meant to stand by and let you destroy this academy_?!

_**No, you will stand and watch as we kill one of those who goes there. We cannot let such a youngling with so much potential run around aimlessly. **_

Cold fury gripped the swordswoman's heart. They had come for Lady Konoka, she was sure of it. _Sensei! _

_I'll deal with the rest, Setsuna, be careful! _

"Be careful," whispered a voice in her ear mockingly.

The girl half turned her head, catching a glimpse of the speaker. A strikingly young female, no more than twelve years old, easily keeping pace with her. Long, raven hair fluttered behind her, and her brown eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"I'm Maiden. Let's play!"

The shock of seeing such a young warrior quickly faded as Setsuna leapt away, deftly rebounding of a wall and over the smaller girl's head, drawing her blade. The child laughed in amusement as she leapt directly at the half-demon, her sword springing out of its sheath in less time than it took to blink. There was a metallic clang as the weapons met, sparks flying from the impact. Setsuna's eyes narrowed as she pushed the child away, landing lightly on the ground, her opponent several paces away. Now did the Shinmei-ryū warrior notice the black skates the child wore, with blood red wheels matching her crimson overcoat.

"Who are you?" asked Setsuna, holding her blade in a defensive posture.

"I told you silly! I'm Maiden! The Corsair Beauty, the bloody wind of the east!"

The hanyo raised an eyebrow, staring at the immature girl intently.

"I know, 'impressive titles for one so young' and all that stuff," replied the girl with an innocent smile. "Lemme show you!"

With that, she vanished. Setsuna barely managed to raise her blade before the bloody beauty struck like lightning. The clash of the swords meeting rang out in the shrill air. Setsuna dived backwards, avoiding a flurry of blows. Whatever the younger girl lacked in finesse, she made up for with speed. Numerous simple, brutal strikes fell upon the half-demon, and her blade flickered to parry, block as she herself swayed and dodged any attack that bypassed her defense.

"You're good," admitted Maiden cheerfully, her sword slicing the air in a glittering arc.

"So are you," admitted Setsuna, ducking beneath the blow, her own weapon darting in at her opponent's mid-section, yet it was turned aside by the bloody wind's blade. Both combatants leapt apart, taking a momentary pause.

"What do you want?" asked Setsuna, not even out of breath.

Maiden smiled, brushing strands of hair away from her pale face. "This."

"What?" queried Setsuna, eyes narrowing.

The girl giggled. "We all want different things. Muse wants an audience. Considering the ruckus he'll be making, I'm sure he'll get it. I want a worthy opponent, and you are exactly that. Seeker just wants Clockwork."

"What are you talking about?"

"Maybe you know him? Tall, blonde, brown eyes? Has a pocket watch?"

Setsuna's eyes widened slightly in recognition. Maiden caught her look and smiled triumphantly. "Oh so you do?"

* * *

Hissing like an angered serpent, the machine scuttled along the vertical surface of the buildings, the deep holes where it had punched into the crumbling brickwork the only mark of its passing. Seeker felt a slow, resonating pulse in his mind, the ominous tick-tock of Clockwork's heart. So close, so close to the quarry which had eluded him for so long. Clockwork. Vessel of the being known as Ezekyle. The oldest spirit in existence. The so-called ultimate weapon.

A weapon of a different age more like. Today war would be one not on the battlefield, but in cyberspace. The increasing reliance on technology has only assured that. An instant victory could be claimed by using an EMP on the enemy's Capital. Precious data lost, and with that, would come anarchy. And yet those fools believed that one soldier could be the key in their battle with the west. A soldier who still battled with his _fists_.

Seeker growled once more, anger smoldering within the steel confines of his heart.

* * *

Setsuna kicked off the ground, flying to the right. Maiden fell from the sky, her blade shrieking as she cleaved her way through the space separating her and the Shinmei-ryū swordsman. Setsuna deflected the downward sweep and stepped back, her sword raised in front of her. Barely pausing, Maiden lunged again and Setsuna expertly blocked the thrust, rolling her wrists and slashing at Maiden's head. But the smaller girl had read the move in the half-demon's eyes and dodged the blow.

The pair circled one another, ready for any further sudden moves.

Maiden struck, a flashing whirlwind of steel and death, forcing the older swordsman back step by step. Setsuna parried a vicious slash aimed at her head, before launching a lightning quick riposte at her foe. The blade tore through fabric and drew blood. Maiden squealed in shock as she retreated, followed by Setsuna. In a flash, Maiden sidestepped and brought her sword around in a beheading strike, but Setsuna rolled beneath it, and lashed out at her opponent's back. Maiden twirled away gracefully, her coat-tails floating in the air behind her gently, as she slashed downwards with her blade. Setsuna leaned back, watching the sharp edge of the sword pass barely an inch from her face.

A titanic blast roared in their ears. The hanyo's head snapped around immediately to the source of the sound as she fell onto the ground. An ominous mushroom cloud was spreading over the arcade. Maiden fell to the floor, screaming as blood poured out of her ears.

_**Lucius' performance had begun! The sweet music of death! Hear it, heed it, surrender to it dearest! **_

Maiden's eyes fluttered open. Clenching her teeth in pain, she swiped down at the grounded form of the hanyo. Setsuna watched the blade arc down onto her neck, raising her sword to defend herself, already knowing it was too late.

There was a clang as the metal sword hit the ground.

Setsuna blinked. Maiden gaped. Asuna grinned.

The orange-haired girl struck out again, missing as Maiden somersaulted backwards to where her blade had fallen after being deflected by this new foe.

"You OK?" asked Asuna. Setsuna nodded, picking herself up form the floor.

"Where did you come from?" asked the dark-haired girl.

"Negi sent me as soon as we lost contact with you. He's still overseeing the rest of the evacuation."

"Two on one!? That's sooooo unfair!" moaned Maiden.

"You can always surrender," suggested Asuna, adopting her offensive stance.

Maiden stuck out her tongue. "Perhaps another time. For now, I think I'll even the odds!" With that, she spun full circle, her blade flashing red, leaving behind a red cloud encircling the girl. "MINA!!"

"She's summoning," breathed Setsuna, charging forwards, Asuna behind.

"**Too late**," whispered a voice in there minds. The child laughed as her eyes burned with a baleful fire. Red flames danced about her sockets, threatening to engulf her completely. She laughed it off and swiped with the blade in her right hand, effortlessly parrying Setsuna's sword, striking it into the ground. With her left, she gently caught Asuna's massive sword in a tight grip. She stepped onto the hanyo's sword and kicked her in the face, sending Setsuna spinning away before stabbing to her left. Asuna relinquished her weapon to avoid being stabbed in the side, nimbly leaping backwards to where her combat teacher lay.

"**This is even now**," growled the demon child, kicking the fallen swords by her feet back at their owners. "**Now let us fight!**" she cried, launching herself at the two members of 3A. She hammered their defenses again and again, forcing them both backwards until Asuna stumbled and lost her footing. Maiden spun right and struck at Asuna's sword arm, but found herself blocked by Setsuna. Snarling, she punched the half-demon in the face, staggering her. But by that time, Asuna had regained her balance and stabbed in wildly with her blade.

Maiden gasped in shock as the sword clove through her clothing and then her flesh, erupting out her back in a fountain of blood. As she fell onto her knees, she looked up at the horrified Asuna, pale as death itself. The older girl released the sword embedded in the child's chest, and stared in horror. Setsuna also wore a look of mortification. Maiden smiled weakly, blood trickling from her mouth.

"This…was…fun…let us…play again sometime…" she said weakly, the fire in her eyes dying away as she was drained of life. She laughed softly, her voice fading into nothingness as she fell backwards into the embrace of darkness.

The two teenage girls were rooted to the spot, the enormity of what they had done hitting them like a wave. Asuna fell to the floor and vomited violently, whilst Setsuna tried every mental discipline she had been taught to prevent herself doing the same. Always they had fought demons, but defeat banished them to their realm. Never before had they killed.

"W-w-w-what have I d-d-done?!" stammered the shell-shocked Asuna, staring at the body of the child, her red coat masking the blood. Were it not for the pool of the stuff gathering around her, or the trickle leeking from her mouth, the young girl looked as if she was asleep. Asuna lurched once more as further bile rose in her throat.

A keening cry of loss pierced the air.

In the arcade, Muse froze in place, his eyes widening in shock, his grip on his guitar slackening as Mina's cry of terror as she was dragged back into hell sounded through the ethereal plane. On the rooftops of Mahora, Seeker stopped momentarily, listening carefully. And somewhere, watching over the entire campus, a single figure began to laugh.


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter Fifty**

**Work like Clockwork**

Tick.

The watch continues its haunting melody.

Tock.

Loyally it marks the passage of Time.

Tick.

Miniscule gears whirr and spin, keeping the contraption alive.

Tock.

Such a simple little thing, it knows only two words, echoing in the darkness.

Tick.

Its little hands turn slowly and surely, smooth and steady is its rhythm.

Tock.

The beat of Time's heart, always present, always seen.

Tick.

Always heard, always felt, the passage of Time.

Tock.

Forgotten by man, often cursed, lamented, missed.

Tick.

His companion, at his side, a haven and a prison.

Tock.

Synchronized with his heartbeat, proof of his existence.

Tick.

His memory, a symbol of his joy, his enslavement, his doom.

Tock.

Somewhere, midnight tolled.

Tick.

Luke closed his eyes.

Tock.

And Clockwork opened his.

* * *

Seeker jumped up, his hydraulic legs lifting his immense weight effortlessly. The kunai embedded themselves in the wall he had been crawling on. The cyborg spun around and crashed onto the opposite building, not even slowing his pace. Steam hissed from his breathing unit, venting itself out the sides of his metallic jaws as he launched himself into the air again, this time avoiding a gigantic shuriken skimming the surface of the wall he was using as a road.

He snarled as he landed on the ground, the gatling guns on his shoulders opening up, tearing up the street ahead in a hailstorm of bullets. He kept up the attack for a full minute before a dagger thrown from his left severed the ammunition feed to the guns. The miniature cannons juddered and fell silent. Unperturbed, he turned to face the direction the attack had come from, his altered vision catching a glimpse of more incoming daggers. That was all the warning he needed. He spun, lashing out with a taloned foot, deflecting all ten kunai, sending them flying away into the darkness.

Another shriek form above was all the warning he needed, flipping backwards, curling up into a ball as the overgrown shuriken fell from the sky, striking the ground with a shower of sparks before rebounding off back upwards. Seeker's HUD had already flagged the wildly spinning weapon, so there was no chance of it catching him unawares. A red light flashed in his eyes. Already he was moving, twirling and crouching down, easily squeezing in between the hail of daggers thrown at him. They came from all directions. Any other time, Seeker would have relished fighting such an opponent, but not this day. This day was not for fighting, but for killing Clockwork. Nothing else mattered, not even the demise of Maiden.

He reached out and plucked one of the passing daggers from the air, flipping it over and scanning its surface in a second before fluidly slipping it beneath one of his armor plates. It was precisely forged, straight, smooth edge, double bladed, and perfectly balanced. A master piece, exquisitely crafted, guaranteed never to veer off-course.

His hearing detected another whistling sound, too low to be something light, like a dagger. With a sigh, he raised his tail and wrapped it around the leg aimed at the back of his neck. He felt his opponent's surprise as he flipped forwards, his heavy metal feet making an audible crack as they struck his attacker in the chin, propelling them upwards.

He caught a flash of violet before tearing off down the street again, paying no further thought to his vanquished foe. Only Clockwork mattered. Only that creature born of fusion.

* * *

Kaede turned herself upright in the air, watching the robot scuttle away on all fours, a metallic mockery of a lizard. She landed deftly on the chewed street, broken cobblestones cluttering at her feet. Something was seriously wrong. Not only had there been no warning, nut the devastation being wrought was horrific. Kaede couldn't help but wonder how the teachers would manage to explain away this incident. She stretched out her hand and caught her careening shuriken, stowing it away in a single fluid movement. A frown marred her features. Such a beautiful night this had promised to be. She felt a twinge of annoyance as she considered these events. Of all the possible times for something like this to happen, especially with Luke missing too…

But it all began as soon as he went missing…were both instances somehow linked? Was Luke _fleeing_? Had he known about this?

Had he been fleeing all this time? Was he hiding from something?

Kaede felt a tiny spark of anger ignite within her, at the thought of being nothing more than a pawn in someone's machinations. Perhaps he had come to Mahora to hide. Perhaps him losing his memory was just a ruse…perhaps everything they had seen so far had been an act? That thought both worried and infuriated the kunoichi. There was only one way to find out, by confronting Luke directly. Which would have to happen soon, before that machine found him first. And then she was gone, leaving behind another ruined street in Mahora Campus.

* * *

He had missed this. Oh, by the Empress, he had missed this! The exaltation, the sense of feeling. The intoxicating scent of power. He grinned evilly, relishing the experience of an existence he had been denied for almost half a year. The watch was back in its rightful place, whirring and ticking like mad as it worked to sustain the power output. At the current rate of expenditure, he would expire in approximately ten minutes. But there was no rush. When one has seen empires rise and fall, one learns the true meaning of patience.

He casually glanced about, taking in everything. The brightness of the moon, the position of the stars, the smoking city, the pulsing tree. He could smell the acrid stench of oil and fuel burning, of magic seeping through the air, of a hundred million other little scents which pervaded human society.

Still, no point in dallying around. His entrance into this reality would no doubt be detected. And Fate's henchmen could be so persistent. Ezekyle's memories provided him with enough information to realize that. Clockwork's curiosity had been piqued though. Who would be sent out to deal with him? Some grim specter like Ezekyle? Or another one of Fate's agents, one of its fabled "Talons"? With a shrug he dismissed the thought as irrelevant. No matter what, he knew he could not challenge them directly. Especially if it was a Talon. Those were rumored to be omniscient, and that meant…well, trouble. He delved in the pocket of his trousers, and pulled out a folded piece of paper. The fusion of man and spirit smirked as he read it.

**Go to Mahora. ****Go to the World Tree. Be on time. Remember. **

It was written hastily, but accurately in his own fancy scroll. Clockwork laughed quietly as he crumpled up the old note and chucked it over his shoulder. He had no need for it now. Mahora was here. The time was now. And he remembered everything.


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter Fifty-One**

**The Day The Music Died**

"Well, here we are," said Kotaro casually, leaning against a chunk of masonry.

"Here we are indeed," replied Mana, shooting periodically over the rubble behind which she was taking cover before ducking down again as the enemy blasted their position once more.

"So what do you think of tonight so far?" asked the half-demon conversationally.

"A bit of a let down actually," replied the gunslinger, reloading her desert eagles. "It began nicely enough, but this attack has spoilt things slightly," she finished, resuming her shooting.

"Strange, I'm only finding it interesting now," smirked Kotaro, risking a glance over the fallen masonry.

"Sure. Now why not go attack him?"

The young boy just grinned like a wolf and leapt over the impromptu barricade as more explosions stitched across the battlefield. He moved to fast for the blasts to catch up with him as he sprinted towards the enemy, a tall man dressed in a flamboyant dark purple coat with an almost halo like collar, with a bleached skull mask. His chest was bedecked in armor resembling a ribcage, and his trousers were made up of black and white diamonds. In his gloved hands he held a massive guitar/cannon hybrid with a scythe blade on the end.

Kotaro could smell the man's surprise as he closed the distance, lashing out with his fist. The grim musician laughed as he spun away, allowing the boy to soar past. He brought his guitar around in an arc, aiming his scythe at Kotaro's back. A single shot struck the blade and pushed it off course enough for the lone wolf to avoid it. Kotaro smirked as he kicked the figure viciously in the chin, sending him upwards. Another shot rang out as Mana took advantage of their opponent's lack of defense.

The masked warrior twisted his body like a contortionist, narrowly avoiding the screaming bullet. Still in the air he struck the guitar viciously, emitting a deep bass note that rattled their bones. Mana's eyes went wide as she felt herself trembling uncontrollably, ruining her aim, whilst Kotaro screwed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth as he covered his ears in pain.

Muse landed deftly between them both, chuckling evilly. "Never underestimated someone's life's work." He spun his guitar once before striking a pose. "Now what should I play for you next?"

"Shut up and fight!" snarled the hanyo on his knees, glaring daggers at the artist.

"That is such a brutal way of expressing one's self! Then again, I can hardly expect anything else from such barbarians!" hissed the musician, his good mood evaporating, plucking at his guitar slowly. "You do not know of the beauty of the Muses!"

"Battle is not about beauty," intoned Mana coldly, steadying her aim as her eyes narrowed. Her pistol was light in her hands, and she could taste the gunpowder of the bullet, waiting to be struck.

"Ah, but there you are wrong! Battle is an art! The forms, the movements, the noises, the sights, the war music! One cannot experience anything like it anywhere else!" remarked their opponents, spinning around to face her, keeping his weapon pointed at Kotaro, who was struggling to his feet, clutching his ears. "Battle is art, you cannot deny it. The patterns of blood on the floor, the colors of your opponent's innards. Each thing is so unique! You are warriors, you should know that!"

"You're sick. True, fighting is fun, but seeing slaughter as a piece of artwork?" growled Kotaro, standing up and preparing to attack once more.

Muse sighed. "Some people just cannot appreciate true art. Fine, let me show you!" he cried, twirling in a circle as Kotaro leapt forwards and Mana opened fire. The agile artist easily avoided both attacks, watching the bullet speed past his face as he felt the younger boy fly past behind him once more. But this time, the wolfish youth landed and quickly leapt backwards, crashing into the taller fighter. They landed in heap, struggling against one another. Kotaro clamped his hands around the guitar and wrenched it out of Muse's grasp and hurled it away as Mana closed the distance, still aiming with her twin pistols.

It seemed like a needless gesture. The small black haired boy was thoroughly pummeling the skull masked youth. The blows continued to rain down, denting the iron visage. The hanyo was grinning wildly, thrilled with the combat, whilst the musician was oddly silent as he received the beating of a lifetime.

"See what I mean this isn't art!" howled the younger boy, punctuating each word with a blow.

* * *

Clockwork sighed. He was hunched over, like an obscene gargoyle, on a ledge of an as yet undamaged building, overseeing the whole debacle. Muse was…disappointing. Then again, it was always like this. He had always been a weakling, a support guy with his guitar. When on the frontlines, he was in major trouble unless he changed his tune. Clockwork smiled and shook his head as he caught his own pun. God, he was almost as bad as that musician.

He sighed and stood up, casting one more glance down at the beating taking place. He had seen this scene hundreds of times before, the new aspirants back at the laboratory always picking on the weakest of the Corsairs. Then he showed them his true strength and well…let's say that's the reason there were only five Corsairs. Clockwork spun on his heel and sprinted off the end of the builing, flying through the air like a spectre before landing on the opposite roof and continuing on. Muse wasn't high on his list of priorities. Heck, neither was Seeker. Right now, he needed power. And lots of it. Normally, that would be a bad thing, but this time it looked like fortune had come through for him. This place was riddled with paradoxes and time travelers, he could sense it. All that energy from alternate paths, from changing their pasts, from traveling through the void. It made his mouth water. True he only needed the lives of two or three…but when would he get another chance to feast on _ten_ time traveling souls?

Ah, choices, choices…what little pleasure in life. Should he devour the feisty or the quiet ones first? Or perhaps the more intelligent ones? Or the prize fighters? Such a banquet this was turning out to be! But of course, there was one other thing vital to his plan. The World Tree. Fate, even Fortune would fall before him with its power. But time was of the essence. Fate's talon would be drawing closer, he could sense it. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, he reached a decision. He'd take care of business first, and feast later. Why rush such a carefully prepared meal? Such delicacies had to be eaten patiently to fully be appreciated. Accessing the memories of his host, he quickly reached a decision of the two victims who would provide him with the energy to escape if necessary.

Chisame Hasegawa and Kaede Nagase.

* * *

It ended rather quickly when his fists were caught suddenly. He gaped in shock as his helpless opponent kicked him in the chest, hurling him away with a curse. Mana's pistols sang, and the bullets whistled and screamed as they hit the floor, Muse having already rolled away. He pushed himself up, quick as lightning, and hurled himself over to the shattered remains of his guitar, shock and disbelief riddling his eyes.

"My…guitar…" he breathed, cradling the shattered instrument in his arms like a child. Bitter tears flowed freely form his eyes, and he bit his lip until he drew bloody.

"That's enough," he heard the girl say, cocking her guns. "Now come with us."

"Or do you want another beating?" smirked the child.

He looked up, back still towards them, his skull mask dented, but his eyes burned with righteous fury. The music had ended. They had killed his music. One of his muses was dead. They would pay, by the goddesses, they would pay! His hands buried themselves in the corpse of his closest friend, his soul. He wrapped the wires around his fingers, smiling coldly as he remembered another art form. There was a reason he was a Muse and not a musician. Music wasn't the only art he knew.

"Come now, your weapon is broken, and you can't fight us both," said the girl.

Muse smiled coldly as he stood up and turned to face them, the long wires dangling from his slender fingers. "I don't have to fight you. You have to fight each other," he hissed, grinning crazily. Fast as a striking serpent, he struck. The wires sliced through the air, past Mana's stoic form, and into Kotaro. He saw the boy's eyes bulge in shock, but no sound or further movement escaped him. Muse smiled as he watched the trembling boy adopt a fighting stance, his face a beautiful portrait of terror. The gunslinger was none the wiser, thinking his attack missed. He could see her finger pulling the trigger, but it was too late. The music was dead. It was time for the puppet show!


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter Fifty-Two**

**Time's Up**

"Damn magic, damn mages, and damn that brat!" swore Chisame, furiously pacing around in the cold night air. Across the river she could see Mahora, several fires raging and periodic explosions. Most of the students were clustered in groups around her, with the teachers patrolling to make sure no one got any ideas. Rumors were beginning to fly, ranging from gas leaks to terrorist attacks. Of course, she knew better. Those damn mages had stirred up a hornet's nest and are now paying the price.

Another violent explosion blossomed in the campus, just as she felt a hand seize her arm. She turned, only to find herself confronted by Professor Gandolfini. She stammered slightly as he guided her away from the crowded students, towards a huddle of teachers. She managed to remain silent, despite her misgivings. Those tripled once she saw the teachers, each one a mage. She could immediately tell from the fact they had been the Heroes so to speak of the Mahorafest game.

"Ah, Miss Hasegawa. Good of you to join us," said Professor Akasashi with a smile.

She gulped before replying. "Something wrong sir?"

"Actually, we were wondering if you could help us," said Negi with a cheery smile. Chisame wrestled furiously with the urge to hit him.

Instead, she simply asked through gritted teeth, "How can I help Professor?"

The adults shared a look before replying. "It's about that hacker…"

* * *

"Fight on my puppets! Show me the theater of war!" cried out Muse joyously, weaving his arms around himself like a crazed dancer, twirling and leaping around. Down below him, Kotaro danced about jerkily, flowing in between the tranquilizer bullets Mana was blasting about as she continued to keep a distance between herself and the possessed boy, yet it was of no use. The lycanthrope was simply too agile for her to hit, and too fast for her to keep away from forever.

Muse couldn't help it laugh as he watched the caper. Whenever the gunslinger took aim at him, he simply attacked with his toy. It was perfect. She seemed to refuse to just kill the boy. Curious. Then again, he supposed he could kind of understand that. He continued his brooding as the fight continued on below. Kotaro finally reached the gunner, and threw a powerful punch. The girl sidestepped, the wall behind her cracking under the impact. She swung her pistols around, intent on knocking the youth out, yet he leapt away. His face still a bland mask of shock, he kicked out as he ducked beneath the butts of the twin pistols. His foot connected and threw the shrine maiden backwards, smacking her against a wall. She struggled to remain standing as Kotaro paced towards her, like a stalking wolf. Muse smiled as he drove another punch into her gut, seeing the girl's eyes widen in pain as she cried out before her eyes rolled back into her head as consciousness fled her. That would teach them for ruining his guitar!

"Muse."

"Yes," he replied automatically, turning around, only to see a razor sharp star strike him across the face, hurling his mask off and tearing open his cheek. He fell backwards, frozen in shock as the star tipped staff darted again, severing his wires. Down below, Kotaro flopped forwards, out cold, onto an equally unconscious Mana.

"Damn, you just don't die do you?" snarled Muse, glaring daggers at his assailant. Chaplain's horned helm stared back.

"Never leave a show unfinished you told me. And my part in this is far from over."

"Your part in this was over years ago old man!"

"No. It is just beginning," replied the armored warrior, twirling his staff before resting the tip on Muse's jugular. The boy sneered as he batted it away and stood up, feeling his wires reconnecting as Lucius worked his magic. "Twenty years I waited. All this was foretold, and I was chosen. Chosen to be the herald of greatness."

"What are you talking about?" snorted Muse with a smirk, waving his arms to check nothing was broken. "Sounds like a bad movie this."

Chaplain's expression was unreadable behind his helmet, but he slowly brought his staff around and pointed it at Muse. "Say what you want, but it is not the fate of the Corsairs to kill Clockwork. That task is left for another."

"Oh, who?" grinned the artist. "Some other lame guy from the organization? In case you don't know, we've pretty much come out on top every time we met someone like that."

Chaplain chuckled slightly, still aiming his staff at the boy's heart. "No, no one like that. Clockwork's antics have attracted far greater attention. Or should I say, the organization's dabbling has attracted that attention."

The artist just laughed as he hurled his wires at Chaplain, seeing them twirl around the staff and arm wielding it. The older man did not even flinch, but continued talking. "It is no use Muse. Clockwork will be reprimanded by the proper authorities. Your part in this tale is over."

"Like hell it is!" was his reply, as the wires constricted. Chaplain sighed as he saw Muse's face contort in shock as the wires failed to slice through the armor enclosing him. The older man jerked his arm back, yanking the boy towards him. A single gasp of pain escaped him as he was impaled on the macabre staff.

"Your part in this IS over. Now it is time for the final player to take to the stage. Fate's Talon. Her enforcer. And I am his herald," was all Muse heard before darkness claimed him, just as it had claimed Maiden.

* * *

"Die traitor!" roared Seeker, plunging down on Clockwork like an avenging angel.

The blonde boy sighed. "I don't have time for your games Seeker," he said simply, casually flicking the cyber-dragon away. The metallic monster flew backwards, skipped along the ground three times and crashed through a supporting wall. With a suitable finality, the building collapsed in on him. Clockwork paused and glanced back at the destruction he had caused. He smiled slightly as he saw the mechanical tear its way to the surface, screeching in rage. Seeker had matured well. It was almost nice seeing him again, but he had more important things to do. He continued on his way, whistling some song to himself.

"Don't you dare walk away from me!" roared the monster behind him, charging forwards. Clockwork sighed as he turned around as calmly watched the creature close the gap between them. Seeker leapt into the air once more and reared back, prepared to eviscerate the first Corsair. The boy just shook his head sadly as he took a step to his right, not even flinching as the hacker crushed the ground where he had been a moment before. A silver gauntlet struck out of the resultant dust cloud, ready to rip off Clockwork's head. The youth caught it gently in his, and promptly crushed it with a flex of his fingers.

There was a wheeze of escaping gas as the hydraulics within the metallic hand were destroyed. No other sound escaped the larger Corsair as he swung his taloned foot at Clockworks midsection. Releasing the mangled gauntlet, the blonde youth leaned back, smirking as he watched the talons brush past his face. He straightened up again once the claw had passed, and reached put, pressing his hand to the side of Seeker's helm. Clockwork smiled as he sent a pulse of magic through, blasting consciousness from his twin brother.

The metallic creature crumpled and crashed onto the ground, back up systems already flaring into life to awaken him in four minutes and fifty eight seconds. More than enough time. Especially as his first victim was now within striking distance.

* * *

Darkness bended and shifted. The inky blackness of the night swelled and broke like an ocean. In the brewing storm, a single crack permeated the air. Air was sucked into the cold void, denied this world for eternity. With a single hush, the rift closed, and all was as it was. Except one thing. A single figure, alone, carefully gazing about himself with a bored expression on his face. The newest Talon of Fate. Sighing in boredom, he put his hands in his pockets and began to walk to the place of confrontation. The World Tree. Every now and then he glanced to the left and right, noting scenes of devastation and nodding to himself, as if he was ticking off a mental checklist. Not that he needed to, but this was still new to him, and he didn't want to screw up his new job, though he knew he wouldn't. Omniscience could be very confusing to one who hadn't quite grasped it yet. The figure closed his eyes and continued on his way, his foreknowledge already showing him the scene ahead. This was the youngest of Fate's Talons, the operative of Mahora. This was Darkside.


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter Fifty-Three**

**Death Stalks Mahora**

Clockwork chuckled as he dropped down from the rooftops. He could sense it now. Muse was dead, as was Maiden. Seeker was unlikely to bother him, and Chaplain seemed to be avoiding him. That made this all too easy.

He first detected the presence of his weaker quarry a minute ago, and had easily reached the position from where he would strike. He could see them far below, hurrying towards the World Tree in a group, confident they could deal with any threat. And being escorted, was a girl. Chisame Hasegawa. Bringing her here…sheer idocity. Clockwork's attuned senses could easily discern the babbling voices. He knew they were afraid, and hiding it well. They were worried, suspicious. The girl was angry, and did not want to be here. Yet she had to be, for her artifact had a limited range of locating the hacker…

So it was Seeker they were seeking? Just how ignorant were these people? Here he was, attempting the most daring and epic coup d'etat in the history of existence, and they were worrying about a hacker and some fires? Then again, they didn't know him…

Well, it wasn't that important anyway. If he had wanted recognition, he would've been Muse, not Clockwork. However, chance had come through for him. And he would do his best to exploit it. And for that, he needed life. The girl's life, to be more precise. He wondered if he could pull it off. It had been a time since his strength had been tested, and even longer for the unwilling Ezekyle. About three centuries in fact…

* * *

"Something's wrong," whispered Seruhiko. Gandolfini sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose violently.

"Something's always wrong. As if the fires and wreckage weren't enough of an indication…"

"No, seriously, look. Is it me, or are we losing color?"

Gandolfini glanced over his glasses, and frowned. Seruhiko was right. Color was leaking from his sight, turning everything into a bleak sepia tone. This was something new. "OK, I'll admit, I'm slightly worried now…"

"What could be doing this?" asked Negi nervously, glancing at the older mages.

"Never encountered its like. No trace of magic either," reported Gandolfini, glancing about. "Still, I suggest we stop here."

"I'll second that," commented Seruhiko, looking around nervously. "Miss Hasegawa, activate your pactio now and-"

There was a stifled yell, all they ever heard. Spinning around, they managed to catch sight of Miss Hasegawa being enveloped by dark tendrils. Her eyes were wide with shock, and she stared at the teachers pleadingly. With a brutal suddenness, she was yanked upwards, away from the stunned teachers. They watched her flying upwards, coming to a stop above…

"Luke?!" exclaimed Negi, staring at the youth in shock.

"Ah, you must be Professor Springfield. A pleasure to encounter you at last," replied the boy, exactly like Negi remembered seeing him last. Well, except the massive black tentacles erupting from his back which were currently holding Chisame hostage.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Gandolfini, his guns appearing in a flash.

Luke smirked at them. "I don't need to explain myself to the likes of you. All you need to know is, the time you have known is at an end. Today, I free us all."

"Luke…what are you?" queried Negi, his eyes wide as he regarded the tendrils of blackness stemming from Luke's back.

"First of all kid, my name is Clockwork. Second of all, I am what I am. And before you ask, I know what I'm doing, but don't expect me to ruin the surprise."

"What are you doing with my student?!" demanded Negi, gripping his staff tightly.

The boy calling himself Clockwork sighed. "Never one to think things through. Figures. You're still impetuous at this age. I would've thought your experiences during the Mahorafest would have taught you something. As for what I'm going to do to your student, Miss Hasegawa is about to be crowned."

"What?" asked Seruhiko, confused. Next to him, Gandolfini was already muttering a swift incantation.

"She is a rare thing, and I will reward her. She has been chosen for a great honor," said Clockwork with a grin, rearing the tentacles back, drawing Chisame closer. "I am going to make her a martyr of my cause."

The teachers could only stare in horror.

Clockworks vile laugh echoed around them as Chisame Hasegawa simply…dissolved into sand. The particles stayed floating in the air, before scattering away and flowing into the boy, briefly forming a demonic outline about him. It was seven foot tall, armored, and bore antique helm decorated with horns twisted into an infinity symbol. Time seemed to have frozen for a moment. The creature laughed at them before vanishing in a swirling cloud of dust, its words the only mark of its passage.

"_**So much for your defense**_."

The teachers were still frozen in shock at what had just occurred, Negi gaping at the space where his student…his partner…someone who had been with him through so much, despite her protests…someone he had sworn to protect…vanished. Abducted by some demon no one had sensed. Seruhiko was unable to speak in horror, and Gandolfini was rigid.

They had just failed in their duty as mages. And as teachers.

Clockwork laughed at their dumbstruck horror, before clicking his fingers and vanishing.

* * *

Leaning against the tree, Darkside hummed to himself some ancient tune, his mind running over the lessons he had had before his promotion, trying to remember anything that could come in useful. Nothing in particular came to mind. And he couldn't use omniscience on his target either. Figures. He groaned quietly as he tried to think of something to do whilst he waited for his quarry. He was bound to come to the World Tree eventually, of that he was sure. But if he could take care of him sooner, it would be just plain better. He really wasn't suited to field work, he was more of a weaver, one of the tellers of tales. Not a character in one. Why couldn't they have sent someone else?

Fate. Simple as, he reminded himself grimly. He was fated to do this assignment, and anything else the Mistress came up with, until the end of time.

* * *

Kaede finally stopped her sprint, right back where she had begun, at the World Tree plaza. She frowned slightly. This whole evening was becoming too surreal. First, Luke's disappearance. Then the attacks. Then Izashima's confession. Then fighting that strange cyber-warrior. And still nothing. Luke had vanished from Mahora. Even her shadow copies hadn't managed to locate him. In her mind, it seemed more and more as if all the incidents were linked somehow. Only one emotion was left to her now. Anger at being exploited.

She gazed at the World Tree, remembering how much of this was caused by its existence. Not only Chao's plan, but now this too. She knew of Luke's note, though he surely wasn't aware of that. He was the root of all this, and he would have to answer for it. Mahora was even now being consumed by devastation, and nothing could be done to stop it. Fires were raging out of control and-

"Excuse me," coughed a voice politely.

She turned, kunais appearing in her hand, barely catching a glimpse of the speaker. She saw black horns and armor, and knew what to do. The daggers flew through the air and embedded themselves in the being's chest.

Clockwork looked down, surprised. "Well, that's one hell of an unfriendly greeting."

Kaede's eyes widened slightly as he casually reached up and yanked the throwing knives out of his chest, throwing them aside. Clockwork grinned as he saw Miss Nagase's eyes narrow once more into slits, cold and furious. When she spoke, he could detect a note of hurt in her voice. Or was it disappointment? Whatever it was, it was almost blanketed out by the feeling of surprise and anger. This was almost too perfect. Giving into one's emotions was the quickest way to perish on the battlefield.

Of course, he could always humor her…nothing wrong with messing with an opponent's mind, or letting them appreciate your brilliance in tactical planning.

"Who are you, de gozaru?" she asked, almost in a whisper, glaring at him.

"Ah yes. Finally some courtesy! My name, my lady, is Clockwork, Master Corsair. At your service," he finished with a bow and a smirk. The kunoichi simply stared at him disapprovingly.

"And Luke?"

"A name I went by once. Nothing more. Call him a…dream, if you will."

"So it was an act?"

"Well, you could say that…"

"Thank you, de gozaru," she said simply, drawing her shuriken and launching herself at the enemy.

Clockwork sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes. "Always with the violence. Fine go ahead and make my job easier for me."


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter Fifty-Five**

**Unwind**

The shuriken flashed around him, darting in and out, searching for a weakness. Clockwork shook his head sadly as he effortlessly dodged each attack, twirling and leaping like an acrobat. Kaede struck again and again, stemming her surprise at Luke's sudden increase in skill. Never before had he displayed such agility. Speed yes, if his running was anything to judge by, but to be so nimble and fluid was something else entirely. She launched a sweep with her weapon, aimed at his midsection, yet Luke just leant back impossibly until he face first to the ground. The sharpened edges of the shuriken missed him and he sprang back up as if on a spring, smiling all the while.

"What are you?" she asked, her expression neutral, emotions firmly under control.

Luke sighed as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. "I get that a lot. I'm a Corsair. I'm Luke. I'm Ezekyle. I'm Clockwork."

Kaede tilted her head, slightly confused. "What, de gozaru?"

Clockwork paused, thinking slightly. This he hadn't encountered before. "Erm…how to put this in a way you'd understand…" Then he realized he'd been tricked. The shuriken flashed once more, embedding itself in his chest. He looked down in surprise, then followed the shining surface back to the kunoichi's hand, then to her face. He grinned. "Nice trick. Shouldn't have taken the whole 'blue idiot' thing so seriously."

"Baka Ranger," corrected the ninja automatically, wrenching the weapon out. It slid free, leaving behind no mark, only a torn slit in Clockwork's shirt.

"Whatever. Now, I think we've happily established that you can't hurt me, so let's move onto the main event!"

Kaede leapt backwards as two black tendrils burst from the boy's back at stabbed at her. Dodging easily with controlled movements, she attacked precisely each appendage getting within striking distance. Yet it did no good, her shuriken passing through the dark tendrils with only a burst of sand to signify it making contact. She disliked admitting it, but it seemed as if she had underestimated this Clockwork.

* * *

Darkside nodded slightly as he watched the kunoichi evade yet another attack from the anomaly. She was good, he had to admit. No, wait he knew that already, he knew that after the following five evasions, she'd be hit and knocked down, at which point…

He sighed, burying his face in his hands. Omniscience was far too confusing. How the others managed to live with it was beyond him. He should have stuck to weaving stories. Darkside rolled his head slightly, easing the stiffness as he leaned back against the trunk of the World Tree. He wasn't due to make an appearance just yet, he thought to himself, absently patting the wrapped package resting next to him. Such was the decree put forward by Fate, and he had no desire to even attempt changing it. Still the Talon of Fate couldn't help but regret agreeing to this assignment, even if it was fated. Story weaving was one thing, but this field work was better left to those loners like Serac. That whole creepy agent thing he had going…much more effective at getting the job done. Though not even he could have disturbed that thing, thought Darkside to himself idly, watching the kunoichi dodge a third attack from the black tendrils.

Ezekiel, one of the Dahakas. The ultimate guardians of time. Not even Fate herself held dominion over them. Nothing knew where they came from, only why. The Dahakas had guarded the timelines, ensuring no tampering occurred. This involved the machinations of Fate. Truly, more of an elemental force than single entities, they had stoically battled against any disturbance in time. Of course, this limited Fate's plan considerably, and so began a war. A war with time itself as the prize. During this period of strife, some of the first Talons of Fate, the Enforcers of her rule, were created. Ancient history as far as he was concerned.

Fourth evasion. The ninja cart wheeled to the left as both tentacles dived at her. The watching Talon of Fate applauded quietly at her skill. He knew exactly how long she had trained throughout her life, how many throwing daggers she had left, the link between her and the boy…it was almost too much to keep track of.

Fifth evasion. She ducked beneath a scissoring slice, quickly moving forwards once more to attack Ezekyle's host. A futile gesture, but a brave one. Despite being unable to harm the creature, she was still willing to try again. He could almost make sense of why she had been chosen. Once more he glanced at the battle, before seizing the wrapped up object next to him and dropping from the World Tree's upper most branches. Almost his time to make an impact.

* * *

Clockwork laughed heartily as one of his flailing tendrils impacted on the darting kunoichi, knocking her to the ground. "Merry little dance you had going there, but I'm afraid now is not the time. For now, be a good girl and accept the crown of martyrdom I bestow upon you!" he snickered, stepping forwards-

-and pausing when confronted by fifteen Kaede's.

"Oh," he said softly, scanning the large crowd in front of him. "Well…this complicates things slightly…" he muttered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Aw well. I'll just absorb the lot of you then," he shrugged, hitting the ground with his tentacles, propelling himself skywards, the copies following.

Leaning against the trunk of the World Tree, Kaede Nagase watched all this as stoically as ever. Her first copy had performed admirably, making it seems as if she was still in the fight and not hanging back and planning her next course of action. She gently traced the pattern of the dagger she was holding, lost in deep thought. Clockwork was real, Luke was not. Clockwork was real, Luke was not. Such a simple notion, and yet she couldn't quite bring herself to accept it. The ninja idly tossed the throwing dagger into the air and watched it spin. Interesting turn of events this was turning out to be. Then again, that always happened at Mahora. Some new guy turns up and havoc eventually follows. She sighed and then suddenly frowned. The dagger she had thrown up was still spinning, suspended in the air.

"A nice enough weapon, but not practical against that thing," muttered a voice above her.

The kunoichi glanced up, seeing above her, suspended upside down from a higher branch, a curious figure. The blue robe was stretched up, as if gravity was pulling him towards the sky.

"Who are you, de gozaru?" she asked immediately, standing up and grabbing the dagger. The figure tilted its head as if bored.

"That is of no consequence," it said in a male voice from behind her. She spun, coming face to face with the blue robed man.

She glanced back to where he had been hanging upside down, then back at the figure in front of her. "Impressive, de gozaru."

The blue robed being shrugged, his ochre wizard hat bobbing slightly. "Thank you. But I'm not here for idly chatter or for cheap tricks." There was a sickening tearing sound as Clockwork literally ripped apart one of the Kaede copies. Darkside barely noticed, engrossed on his mission. No way could he screw up now! He simply held out the package Fate had charged him with delivering, stating, "I'm here as an ally. Use this to harm the creature."

Kaede's eyes narrowed. "Why should I trust you, de gozaru? Why don't you fight him as well?"

"You should trust me because you have no choice. I have been hunting this one for a while now-"

Not strictly true, but he hardly had the time for lengthy explanations.

"-and you are the one who has to finish him."

The girl continued to look at him skeptically whilst the sounds of fighting flowed around them.

Darkside shrugged eventually and threw his package onto the branch, a few feet away from the ninja. "Suit yourself. Though we've seen how useful your weapons are. Goodbye." With that he twirled around and walked into the trunk of the tree, vanishing from sight. Kaede glanced at the wrapped up object, then back at the fight, with Clockwork shearing his way through the remaining copies in a whirlwind of sand and darkness. Perhaps it would be wise to heed this figures advice…

* * *

"Oh come on! You make all these copies and run away!? Where's your sense of honor? Or fun for that matter?" complained Clockwork, crushing the final copy against the World Tree. Destruction was fun, but not really worth it if it didn't yield results. There was a soft thud behind him. He wheeled around, grinning, only to receive a vicious upward slash across the face. Staggering back, his hand shot up to stem the flow of blood, his remaining eye wide with shock. "What the hell…?"

Kaede Nagase raised the blade, pointing it at his heart. The sharp edge of the sword was slick with the blood from the youth's face. "So it can hurt you. Perhaps now you will surrender, de gozaru?"

"To the wielder of the Water Sword? Like hell I will! I'm not stupid you know. If that thing's there-" he ducked as the girl instant moved next to him and swiped at his head. Her inexperience with the weapon was a major drawback, one he intended to exploit. Cart wheeling crazily away, he put some distance between them. But the chance of victory had renewed the ninja's resolve, and he only encountered more stabs and slices when he stropped. She refused to give him a moment to regain his composure. Most impressive. Of course, things were getting serious now. Clockwork couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry. The Sword changed everything. Fate's Talons were here now, of that he was sure. And now Ezekyle was starting to panic, most probably remembering what happened the last time it had faced a mortal with the Water Sword. Oh, and he was blind in one eye due to the vertical cut running across his face.

"Now, there's no need to act rash-" he said before twirling away from a stab aimed at his chest. "Hey, at least let me-" Another attack interrupted him. "Aw come on, at least let me say something!" he remarked, falling backwards.

"You've talked enough, de gozaru," was his reply.

With a sigh, Clockwork lashed out with his tendrils, yet the girl flowed between them, like smoke or water. With a hiss, the blade fell, severing the appendages.

"So much for those," smiled Kaede.

Clockwork gaped at her, then gulped. "OK, so I miscalculated. Thanks for the wake up call!" He spun on his heel and ran at the World Tree, a pocket watch glinting in his hand. She blinked, then gave chase.

_Alright, so I let freedom go to my head. But heck, it does to everyone after a long lock up, right? _thought Clockwork ruefully.

_**Don't bet on it. **_

_Shut up you! _replied the Corsair viciously.

_**You underestimated her. Like I did. I paid the price for that. Now it's your turn **_replied the voice with a certain relish.

_You picked a bloody good time to start talking! _

_**It'**__**s either me or Ezekyle**_ countered the being.

_It's of no consequence either way. The Tree is here, and I have enough sands to fulfill my task! _

_**No. **_

The finality of that remark hit him like an ice cold shower. He did not falter though, running straight at the Tree's trunk and continuing upwards, running up the rough surface, the girl just behind. _What do you know I don't?_

_**I know Kaede Nagase. **_

"It's over!" roared Clockwork, spinning the dial on the watch, hearing the wind pick up around him.

Kaede was just behind him, but not close enough. With a last burst of strength, she lunged forwards, stabbing the sword at the figure ahead. Whatever this Clockwork had planned, it couldn't be any better than what had already happened. Her blind strike plunged straight and true, through Clockwork's chest and into the watch in his hand.

_**Point proven, smart-alec. Now pay up. **_

_Oh I sooo hate you. _

The watch exploded, engulfing the world in a golden light.


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter Fifty-Five**

**So Much For That Happy Ending…**

Negi lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Silently he rolled out of bed and climbed down the ladder leading to his loft, taking care not to awake his students. He walked over to the window and gazed out at Mahora Campus. It looked exactly the same as it always had, the World Tree illuminated by the rising sun. The ten year old couldn't help but marvel at how many repairs had been done in such a short amount of time. Anyone looking at the cityscape would be none the wiser as to what had occurred barely a month ago.

The child prodigy stared outside silently, lost in thought. He knew he would have to explain to his class why one of their number was gone. He knew he couldn't tell them the truth. Yet that didn't make lying to them any easier. Of course his partners knew what really happened, knew what he was going through. The young mage smiled despite himself. His students could always be counted on lifting his spirits, though their means could be more than questionable. And he had a duty to them, to make sure they did not worry. This was his burden to bear.

"What's wrong Negi?"

The young boy started slightly at this interruption to his thoughts, but retained his composure. "Nothing Asuna. Nothing at all."

There was a snort. "Yeah right. Spill it. It's not like you not to be worrying over something."

"I was just thinking of the incident…"

"That was a month ago Negi. Such things happen," replied the girl with a softer tone. "I know she wasn't exactly a friend, but…"

"She was one of my students, she was my responsibility," countered Negi, still watching the sunrise.

"No one could have predicted what happened Negi. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Chao was my responsibility…" repeated the boy, staring into nothingness.

* * *

Kaede Nagase watched the sunrise from her favourite spot, high in the mountains. It provided a particularly amazing view of the campus when the sun rose. And the climb was a great way of exercising in the morning. The twins had been left sleeping soundly in their bed, none the wiser to her excursions. She preferred it that way. Even a kunoichi needed some time alone.

And there had been a lot of reasons for thought lately, which was always best done alone. The carnage that had occurred lately…it was a miracle no one had been hurt in retrospect. Kaede smiled slightly, remembering the times leading up to that occurrence. And how quickly life returned to normal, how quickly some members of her class accepted the explanation given by the teachers. It was for the best she supposed. A full explanation would involve revealing magic and they had all seen what that could lead to.

Yes, it was for the best that most remained ignorant of the Mahorafest's true significance.

* * *

It was late morning when it happened. A tiny tear in reality forced its way into existence over Mahora silently, invisible to the untrained eye. Unfortunately, the accompanying brief scream was easily detectable for several miles before it was cut off by a loud thud.

"Why does this always happen to me?" groaned the blonde youth, picking himself up from the ground groggily. Wiping a trickle of blood from his bruised nose, he looked around blearily, dazed and more than slightly confused. "Hang on, did I miss something…?" Then it came flooding back as a voice uttered behind him.

"You took your time."

Luke wheeled around, looking at a stranger blue robed humanoid with glowing yellow eyes and an ochre wizard hat.

"Erm…what happened?" Luke asked tentatively, fighting to control his panic.

The figure looked at him disapprovingly as it replied. "You just screwed up, that's what."

"Eh?! What did I do?! And who are you?"

"You got the watch destroyed. My name is Darkside."

The youth looked at him in shock. "Excuse me, Mr. Darkside, but exactly how am I to be held responsible for the watch being…wait, it's destroyed?!"

Darkside nodded. Luke was still for a moment before breaking into a smile and laughing exultantly. "It's gone…That's…BRILLIANT!"

The Talon of Fate sighed as the boy danced about, singing "No more Clockwork, No more Ezekyle" to himself.

After about five minutes Darkside's patience ran out. "Actually, its not that simple."

"What?" asked Luke, freezing in place.

* * *

"Come on, we're late!" shouted Asuna as she charged towards the tram station.

"I'm coming!" cried Negi, chasing after her. Konoka, skating just in front of him, giggled as he redoubled his efforts to catch up. With seconds to spare, they made it to the tram. As the doors closed behind them, Negi sat down, panting slightly.

"That…was…surprisingly…hard." He gasped out.

Konoka smiled. "What's wrong? Out of shape?"

"Nice example you're setting," added Asuna. "What happened? You were in peak condition during training…"

"I'm…just…slightly tired," answered Negi.

"Sure you are," teased Konoka. Asuna just laughed whilst Negi finally caught his breath.

* * *

"Wait, why do I have to hunt them down?! Out of the two of us, you are the one with phenomenal cosmic powers!"

Darkside rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "It's complicated. Simply put, high level beings like me and Ezekyle cannot face each other directly. However, by using you, I can circumvent this rule."

"Oh. So you won't be leaving me to fend for myself?"

"Not this time. A weak little creature like you wouldn't stand a chance against a Dahaka without my help."

"Thanks for the ego-boost…" muttered Luke, rolling his eyes. "And what makes you think I'll agree to this?"

"What would a gentleman do?"

_That's it! Next time, screw the nice attitude! _

Luke glared at the magician, clenching his fists. "But what about-"

"What, explaining your absence? Not particularly an issue. Take a look," said Darkisde motioning at a bulletin board. Luke quickly scanned it, his eyes falling on the current date.

"Oh. Well….that explains a lot…so that's what happened when Kaede broke the watch?"

Darkside nodded. Luke felt sadness fill him momentarily. Ironic how he regained his memories, but in turn was left with only memories of his time at Mahora. Then again, considering his alter-ego had done a pretty good job of tearing up the place and…killing…one…of…

_Oh God. _

Luke looked at Darkside, who sighed in boredom before answering. "Everything is as it was on this day. So everything you did has been undone."

_Oh. In that case, thank God! _

"So there's no need to hang around here for tearful good byes, last minute farewells etc, etc," finished Darkside, pointing at the approaching tram as a bell rang in the distance. "So I suggest you head off now, and stop wasting time. We have a lot of work to do."

"We? What we? What will you be doing whilst I'm running around risking my neck trying to catch a creature older than time itself!?"

"You'll find out soon enough," answered Darkside, fading away. "I'll be waiting for you."

"Wait, where?" queried Luke, waving his arms as the apparition vanished. There was a snigger.

"You'll know it when you get there."

"That is even less than unhelpful you…you…" Luke trailed off and stopped shaking his fist at empty air as he realized that it would be best not to antagonize some eccentric magic user. He slowly lowered his fist and reined in his frustration. It would do no good. After all, he knew himself well enough to summarize that going after Ezekyle would be the right thing to do. Especially if it was his fault the creature had been released. And as for Mahora…well, nothing happened in the end, and he had his memories, grim as they were. He'd done what he had come to do and…

…alright, he was slightly disappointed in the turn of event which left him virtually unknown to those living on the campus, but then again, if such was his fate, so be it.

Luke sighed slightly. For all the trouble he'd endured, his time at the academy had been fun…even though it never happened. He grimaced. This would take some getting used to.

The tram stopped, the doors opened. Lost in thought, Luke stepped forward…

And was flattened as thirty girls burst out and ran towards the academy, gossiping all the way.

_This brings back a lot of memories_ he thought wryly, being crushed beneath the stampede. He lay perfectly still until everyone had gone, wincing in pain now and again. Once it was safe to stand up he picked himself off the ground and dusted off. Looking after the departing mob, he noted with a chuckle the miniature form of Professor Springfield and his two students, Konoka and Asuna. Well, his encounter had now been avoided, so no chance of getting caught up with all the madness of Mahora for a while. Though it would be most interesting to rejoin all that hectic activity in the future.

And who knew, perhaps he'd become close with Kaede again…

He cleared his head as he boarded the tram, taking his memories with him.


End file.
